Local Government Association,
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Telephone 020 7187 7335
e-mail: [email protected]
Employers’ Secretary, Naomi Cooke
Direct Dial
020 7187 7335
Website: www.local.gov.uk/
FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES
National Employers
Rt Hon Chris Philp MP
Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire
Via email
Dear Minister,
White Paper Response
I am writing on behalf of the National Employers, in my capacity as Chair of the Employers’ side of the Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services National Joint Council (NJC), the Middle Managers Negotiating Body (MMNB) and of the National Joint Council for Brigade Managers.
The National Employers note the response to the White Paper, having anticipated its publication for some time, and we of course welcome a number of elements captured in the response.
However, there is concern in relation to some of the statements in government’s response regarding the work of the NJC, which appear without clear analysis or citation. Without engaging in public debate on that matter, we believe it helpful to set out, in writing, plans the National Employers are already developing in terms of a self-led review, the terms of which have previously been shared with officials at the Home Office.
There is clearly a range of views about the NJC, but our view is that assertions and claims must now move beyond declarations and be tested and considered against reality and context. To that end we look forward to considering those views and providing some quantifiable analysis as to the merit or otherwise of the assertions made. We approach our review without a pre-determined outcome in mind but will look to explore improvements and efficiencies and stakeholder engagement.
The NJC has an impressive track record of reaching national agreements which take account of both employer and employee voice. We welcome the reference in the White Paper response to our agreement reached in May 2023, an agreement which avoided the very real risk of industrial action within the Fire and Rescue Service. As you are aware, this was a situation which other sectors, including many governed by independent pay review bodies, were not so successful in navigating during this last year. We would also respectfully remind the Minister that there were pay deals of 7 per cent awarded via independent pay review bodies in 2023 (in policing for example) suggesting that the 7 per cent agreement reached via the NJC to avoid that industrial action wasn’t as out of step with pay policy, as suggested in the government’s response.
As National Employers we have accepted the challenge put to us by the White Paper and have promptly proposed a self-led review, where we will engage with the strengths and weaknesses for employers of the existing approach to pay determination and seek to identify ways to improve our model.
Resources permitting, we intend to look at consultation processes, communications strategy, and to discuss with stakeholders from across the NJC and beyond – what currently works well and what improvements can be identified.
In responding to these external commentaries, and with an underlining commitment to self-improvement and self-reflection, the National Employers suggest this review is based around the following themes:
- Consultation and Input – how does engagement currently operate, are NJC decision makers (employer and employee) hearing all the views they need, are there improved mechanisms that can improve the collection of views and facilitate their conclusions?
- Transparency – how are these considerations captured, explained and justified, is there more that should be done in this space. How does it compare with other models of pay award consideration?
- Collective Bargaining models – can we learn from other models of national or local bargaining? What are the costs and experiences and what can we learn from alternative models of industrial relations?
A key thread running through the review should be to improve the shared understanding of the purpose, approach and accountability of the NJC.
We have identified a broad range of stakeholders with whom we will wish to engage during this process, and we look forward to developing and exploring this conversation in more detail, with yourself and your officials.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Nick Chard
National Employers’ Chair
National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services
National Joint Council for Brigade Managers