Porters fear negative fallout from ongoing negotiations over hours and rates of pay
Porters at the University have reacted with concern to talks over the restructuring of their role, hours and pay under the Framework Agreement.
The process of negotiation, which is taking place behind closed doors between Unison and senior managers at the University, has led to fears of redundancies and pay cuts.
There has also been controversy over a proposal to pool porters centrally rather than allocating them to specific colleges.
Phil Crampton, a Derwent porter, said on Saturday “We seem to be arguing with fresh air at the moment. Nobody knows exactly what we’re being offered because they won’t tell us.
“There are a lot of arguments now because what they’re proposing is that we’re losing our time and a half and double time for Saturday and Sunday; we’re losing out enhancements for bank holiday weekends and we’re losing our enhancement for shift work. We’re being screwed basically.”
An Alcuin porter who declined to be named said last week “I’m concerned that my job’s possibly on the line”.
Both porters and students have expressed concerns about the idea of centralised pooling of porters. One student, who did not wish to be named, said “I love the porters in my college. They all know who I am when I come to collect my mail and we have a good chat. If they pool the porters that kind of relationship won’t exist anymore.”
The ongoing negotiations are in preparation for the implementation of the Framework Agreement, a new grading and pay structure for all University staff that is due to be implemented from August 2006.
According to York University, the Agreement aims to “ensure equal pay for work of equal value, improve the recruitment and retention of staff, reward the contributions of individuals, provide opportunities for career and organisational development [and] harmonise working hours and conditions so that there is more equality.”
The Agreement is part of the nationwide Higher Education Roles Analysis scheme, which grades roles within Higher Education on a points scale and awards salaries accordingly.
Speaking for the University on Friday, Press Officer David Garner said “There is no suggestion of redundancies – if anything, the University may need to recruit more staff.”
He explained that while working hours for porters will be reduced from 38 to 37 per week, an increase in their hourly rate will mean that there will be no pay loss.
Of concerns about the possibility of the centralised pooling of porters, Garner said “a smaller total number of staff hours to cover the same amount of work [will mean] that working arrangements will have to be more flexible and a number of options are under discussion. But nothing has yet been settled and negotiations are ongoing.”
Ken Batten, Manager of Security and Support Services, refused to comment on the talks on Friday, saying “All discussions are being done in confidence between unions and senior managers. Until they are concluded nothing can be said.”
