NHS pay review body: twenty-sixth report 2012 - Official Documents

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It was illogical, inequitable and divisive that NHS maintenance craft workers were in
receipt of a national RRP while building craft workers were not which had a highly
de-motivating effect and left the NHS as an uncompetitive employer;
The workforce had an ageing profile with an average age of 56, an average length
of service of over 18 years, and low numbers of young people entering the sector;
61% of building craft workers in separate trusts had requested, and had been
refused, a local RRP, while a substantial number identified recruitment problems
because of low pay;
Previous research by the University of Greenwich remained valid and provided a
clear basis for the payment of a national RRP. Local RRP were in payment across the
country which demonstrated the necessity of implementing RRP on a national basis
or local RRP should be permitted for all NHS building craft workers, as well as for
maintenance craft workers.
4.42 UCATT commented that the withdrawal of the national RRP for maintenance craft
workers had led to some employers to withdraw local RRP for building craft workers
without notice or transitional protection arrangements. UCATT was challenging these
decisions in employment tribunals. UCATT sought our observations on the proper
manner in which local RRP should be agreed and reviewed.
4.43 UCATT also drew to our attention advice from the NHS Staff Council relating to the
banding of building craft workers which recommended that “trusts review in partnership
the matching of building craft worker jobs and satisfy themselves that the outcomes
matched to the Band 4 profile can be justified and that the rationales are robust”.
UCATT told us that, to date, they were not aware of any negative consequences for its
members emanating from this exercise which, in UCATT’s view, clearly demonstrated
that all building craft workers should be paid at a minimum of Band 4. UCATT, though
recognising that banding issues are outside our remit, nonetheless asked us to comment
on this matter.
Our Comment
4.44 We consider that UCATT’s case for a new national RRP for building craft workers is
again unconvincing. UCATT has noted that building craft workers tend to have long
job tenures, indicating no problems in retaining these workers; and UCATT has not
demonstrated problems with recruitment.
4.45 This is the fifth year running that UCATT has raised this issue. We strongly recommend
that if UCATT pursues this issue in future it bears in mind that RRP are for situations where
market pressures would otherwise prevent the employer from being able to recruit and
retain staff in sufficient numbers for the posts concerned as set out in Section 5 of the
NHS Terms and Conditions Handbook. If UCATT seeks success it should concentrate on
presenting robust and relevant evidence that shows there are widespread recruitment
and retention difficulties that apply to NHS building craft workers. Our view is that
UCATT failed to do that on this occasion.
4.46 We again conclude that there is no evidence to support UCATT’s case for a national
RRP for building craft workers.