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News
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 On 17 March members of the Commercial Services union at ACAS will commence industrial action pending resolution of a dispute over pay. The reconciliation body, which is expected to play a central role in resolving disputes under the terms of the forthcoming Employment Bill, appears unable to resolve its own disputes.
Union members will withdraw goodwill and cease working overtime as of 17 March as part of a rolling programme of action. The first strike day will be 28 March when a one-hour walk-out is planned.
Union members are seeking RPI increases in pay of 3.9% on sums agreed following resolution of a pay dispute last August.
The Union was keen to stress that it want a negotiated settlement, but believed ACAS had 'one hand tied behind its back' as no mandate to negotiate could be agreed with parent body BERR (the department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform).
The dispute is aims to achieve pay increases for workers at all grades of pay. At present pay bands range from grade 11 (£14,839) for admin assistants up to grade 6 (c.£53,000). According to Union Official Dave Cliff, most disputes advisers are grades eight and nine (earning roughly £24,000 and £31,000 respectively). Union demands
Cliff said, 'it is quite extraordinary that in seven months of asking we have yet to have a response. We recognise that this is not ACAS-driven, and still hope to resolve the dispute through negotiated settlement.'
A spokesman for ACAS said, 'negotiations continue and we hope an offer will be imminent.'
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