As a part of the negotiations for the new Pay & Reward scheme the City Council removed staff entitlement for annual Christmas Shopping leave. This was part of a number of changes to leave policies which resulted in an increased amount of annual leave for the lowest paid workers in the council. The City Council has said that this increase in annual leave will come into effect after April 2009. However the Council wishes to remove the Christams shopping leave entitlement for 2008.
Westminster UNISON see this as an unfair attempt by Westminster Council to put off the positive effects of Reward whilst acting imediatly on the negative aspects despite assurances throughout the negotiations that only the positive aspects of Reward will be backdated.
Westminster UNISON will meet with HR Director Graham White early next week in order to make the case for staff receiving their shopping leave this year.
Westminster UNISON's role as the largest trade union in the Council and its contractors ensures our place at the negotiating table. Whether backing you up at work or weighing in on a local policy issue, UNISON draws its strength from its numbers.
