The initial Neighbourhoods and Growth Reorganisation report by Eamon Maguire

We have had the last of the informal consultation meetings with Sue Foster and the directors regarding the forthcoming restructure and we have a timetable for the process.  Formal consultation begins on 21/02 and runs until 23/03.  During the consultation we will be focusing on saving jobs and ensuring that job descriptions and evaluations match up so that you will be paid a fair rate for what you are asked to do.

What will happen; Sue Foster has said that the picture regarding employment is “positive”.  Artfully vague of course but we are taking it to mean that the number of posts available under the new structure will not be a great deal fewer than those currently occupied.  However, we have deduced from the various conversations already held that there will be new posts, job descriptions and structures all across the Neighbourhoods and Growth directorate so that everybody will be looking at some level of change.

What you can do; Try to sum up as best you can what your current day-to-day activities add up to and how closely it matches your original job description.  When it comes to matching up for new posts and job descriptions and new structures we will need this information to maximise your opportunities for continued employment.

What else; Your stewards and other trade union activists are going to be very challenged by the whole process.  We really don’t have enough people to go round to hold management to account in the course of normal day-to-day stuff, so this is really going to stretch us.  Consider what you can do to support us in this.  It’s in your own best interest.  If you have friends and colleagues who are not trade union members, tell them to join now.  If they leave it any later they will not be eligible for support.

Keep us informed; The reorganisation process is governed by quite precise rules and regulations.  If any management actions or decisions strike you as questionable, let your steward know as soon as possible and we will do our best to ensure that management play by the rules.

On the bright side; It should enable us to finally bring an end to any amount of ad hoc appointments, pilots and unaccountable structures that have sprung up in the long drawn out phoney war that has preceded.  We look forward to a considerable reduction in temporary appointments, agency workers popping up everywhere and general mayhem.