New pay and grading structure

Overview

You'll find all the latest information about the implementation of the new pay and grading structure on this page below including frequently asked questions to support you during this time.

Frequently asked questions

When will I know what this means for my pay?

We are revising the implementation date of the new pay and grading structure which can't now be implemented in February 2025. As soon as we know the revised timeline, we will update you.

When we finalise the council's new pay and grading structure, we will then be able to tell you what this will mean for your pay and grade, on an individual basis.

When we reach this stage, we will also be able to confirm any elements of pay protection and back dating of pay, to the effective date of 15 October 2023, which are appropriate to you.

Before any changes are made to your pay, you will be given plenty of notice.

When will I know the outcome of my job evaluation and where I sit in the new structure?

You will know the outcome of the job evaluation process when the pay and grading structure is finalised, so you will have all the information about your evaluation, pay, allowances, at that point.

Our colleagues in the Job Evaluation Team, which includes nominees from the Trade Unions, have recently reached a significant milestone in the evaluation of Primary Benchmark Jobs - these are the most common jobs in the council family, covering around 80% of employees in scope. The Secondary Benchmark process is well underway and Unique jobs started.

What is the purpose of the rank order produced by job evaluation?

Job evaluation is a way to measure the size or demands of a job. The rank order is the hierarchy of jobs, in terms of the demands of the job. The job evaluation results are used to develop a fair new pay and grading structure.

Will this mean that my contract will change?

Yes, our current WPBR terms and conditions will change and everyone will be asked to sign up to a new contract with appropriate terms and conditions.

Under what circumstances would someone receive pay protection and how long would this be for?

The details of pay protection and circumstances in which this could be applied are part of our consultation with the trade unions around the design of the new pay and grading scheme. 

How many posts will attract a higher or lower salary than what is currently being paid?

This information isn't available yet and will not be until the new and pay and grading scheme is finalised.

When will any backdated pay be paid, if due?

If any back dated pay is due to you, this will be paid following the implementation of the new pay and grading structure. You will be advised nearer the time about arrangements for back dated pay.

How will backdated pay work?

Any back pay due will be backdated to October 2023 for all employees who fall into this category. If employment with the council started after October 2023, then adjustments will be backdated to the start date.

I have 'reserved rights' under TUPE, what will happen to those?

The introduction of a new job evaluation process and Pay and Grading Structure is a significant organisational change and is not linked to any previous transfer. This means that the new contracts of employment, and all associated terms and conditions, will be in line with the new arrangements.

Will there be an appeal process if I don't agree with the evaluation of my job?

Yes. We have been consulting with our Trade Unions on this matter and will follow the SJC guidelines for the JE appeals process. This is nearing finalisation and will be published shortly together with detailed arrangements about how and when the process will be available.

What ALEOs are currently covered by new JE Scheme?

Glasgow Life, City Property and Jobs and Business Glasgow are covered by this programme.

What job evaluation scheme is the council using?

We will be using the third edition of the Job Evaluation Scheme endorsed by the Scottish Joint Council for Local Government Employees, which is based on the principles and best practice advice set out by ACAS; and has been applied to staff in most Scotland's Councils and to support staff in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and SPA/Police Scotland. 

Why are we implementing a new pay and grading structure?

The council is committed to resolving the matter of equal pay and making sure that we have a fair pay and grading structure. As part of the equal pay negotiations, we agreed with our trade unions that we needed to replace our current workforce pay and benefits system. A review was conducted and the City Administration Committee approved the SJC Job Evaluation Scheme for use to assess jobs and to provide the foundation for new pay and grading structure.

Why is this work is taking so long?

Any review which affects pay and grading is a complex matter due to the diversity and scale of council services and the different types of roles that staff carry out.

It's important that the process of job evaluation is completed first as this produces information about the demands of jobs to lay the foundation for the new pay and grading structure. There is still much work to do in this area and we will continue to do this in consultation with the trade unions. Everyone is committed to delivering this work as quickly as possible and making sure that jobs are evaluated following the scheme guidance. As soon as we know the revised timeline for this, we will update you.  The Council and the Trade Unions are committed to reaching the right results as quickly as possible.

I'm not on WPBR at the moment.  Will I be covered by the new arrangements?

Yes, the new Pay and Grading Structure will mean all will be covered by the new arrangements.

September 2024

Colleagues,

I want to provide you with an update on job evaluation and the latest plans for a new pay and grading structure.

The main messages for you in this communication can be summarised as:

• Job Evaluation information on Primary Benchmark jobs is being shared with the joint Operational Steering Group. This is a very important and positive step in the programme.
• Council and Trade Unions agree that the implementation date previously targeted must be revised to ensure we get the new arrangements right.
• This will mean that your pay will not be changing in February 2025 as previously indicated.
• We want to be sure that we have high confidence before confirming a revised target date - we will do this as quickly as we can and keep you updated at every stage.
• When we finalise the pay and grading structure, we will tell you what this will mean for you.  At that stage we will confirm
  • Whether you are due any backdated pay. This will apply from October 2023.
  • Whether you will be due any elements of pay protection and what this means for you.
• The council and the Trade Unions are committed to completing this work as soon as possible and ensuring we pay equally for work of equal value. 

As we all know, job evaluation is the foundation for our future pay and grading structure (PGS) and the way we meet our aim to make sure we pay equally for work of equal value. The council and Trade Unions are committed to achieving this aim with all possible haste and integrity.  

Our colleagues in the Job Evaluation Team, which includes nominees from the three recognised Trade Unions, have been working to finalise the evaluation of Primary Benchmark jobs - these are the most common jobs in the council family, covering around 80% of employees in scope. The scale of this task is significant and work continues to evaluate Secondary Benchmark and Unique roles.

We can now confirm that the initial information on the evaluations of Primary Benchmark jobs will be provided to the JE Operational Steering Group (OSG - a joint forum of TU Reps and Service/ALEO management). This will allow consultation to start in earnest between Trade Unions and the council on the new PGS, following a period of dialogue at the OSG. 

Delivering the Primary Benchmark information is a key milestone on our route to a new Pay and Grading Structure, but regrettably we have not met our planned timescale. This means that we will need to revise our date for the implementation of the new pay and grading structure which cannot now take place in February 2025. 

The council, Trade Union colleagues and our Independent Technical Advisor all understand the need to amend the implementation date and agree that it is essential. This is due to the scale and complexity of the work required and to ensure the integrity of the process and outcomes. 

I want to be very open with you about the challenges we face in setting a new implementation date at this point. We have started evaluations of Secondary and Unique roles but at this stage it is it is only possible to estimate the timescales for completion; we must allow sufficient time for Trade Union consultation and give us all the best chance of reaching an agreement on the new arrangements.     

Progress depends on efforts and input from everyone involved, including employees, service management, Trade Union colleagues and the Programme Team. We will work closely with Trade Union colleagues to ensure revised detailed plans include their input and we will update you on progress at each milestone stage.

May I reassure you as previously communicated, when we finalise the council's proposed pay and grading structure, we will tell you what this will mean for you, on an individual basis and confirm any elements of pay protection and back dating of pay, to the effective date of 15 October 2023, which are appropriate to you.

I know that this could be an unsettling period for you, but I want to stress that this delay is necessary to meet our commitment to paying everyone equally for equal work - everyone is committed to moving this forward and I will let you know as soon as possible when we can confirm timescales for delivery. Spending appropriate time on evaluating jobs through consistent and thorough job evaluation, in consultation with trade unions, is an essential part of meeting this commitment. 

More information

There are frequently asked questions on the website here, if you have questions, you can email me at Ask Susanne and I will make sure these are considered. Remember, we can't answer questions about individual outcomes yet, as we're not at this stage.

Regards,

Susanne Millar

Chief Executive

30 November 2023

Message from Chief Executive, Annemarie O'Donnell

Colleagues,

I said I would update you when more information was available about the plan for pay and grading. Senior officers have continued to work in partnership with our Trade Unions on this planning and the information below provides details about what you can expect as we work towards an implementation date in the later part of the financial year 2024/2025.

As you are already aware, job evaluation is the route to laying the foundation for a fair pay and grading structure (PGS) - providing everyone with equal pay for equal work. Job evaluation will provide a rank order of all jobs, based on the demands of each job, on which we will design the new PGS.

Around 80% of employees are in "Primary benchmark jobs" and the data from these evaluations will provide us with information to start pay modelling and developing the new pay and grading structure. We expect the rank order for Primary benchmarks to be concluded in the Spring of 2024 to form the base of progressing consultation with the Trade Unions.

All other employees are within a Secondary benchmark or Unique jobs, and these will continue to be evaluated and the data fed into the ongoing work to design the new PGS. 

The pay modelling and consultation process with Trade Union representatives will continue throughout the Summer and early Autumn, with a shared aim of reaching agreement on new arrangements.

In the Autumn of 2024, we expect to be finalising the Council's proposed pay and grading structure and tell you what this will mean for you, on an individual basis   When we reach this stage, we will also be able to confirm any elements of pay protection and back dating of pay, to the effective date of 15 October 2023, which are appropriate to you.

You will have the right to appeal the results of your job evaluation outcome and information about how you can do this will be provided by the end of October 2024.

Before any changes are made you will be given plenty of notice. We are currently scheduling the implementation of the new PGS for February 2025.

There is still a long way to go on the complex path to a new pay and grading structure. We are determined to work at pace, in close dialogue with your Trade Unions, and ensure the integrity and transparency of the process.

I very much appreciate the significant effort from colleagues who have contributed to the job evaluation process to date and look forward to wider involvement as we finalise the evaluations for Primary benchmark roles and move into the Secondary benchmark and Unique role processes. There is a very busy and intense year ahead as we work together to remove uncertainty and meet the commitment to equal pay for all colleagues. 

Although I can't answer questions about individual circumstances you can send questions to me at Ask Annemarie and I will ask officers to publish frequently asked questions to help support you all during this time. You can read the latest questions and answers on the website at Staff Updates - new pay and grading structure.

Regards,

Annemarie O'Donnell

Chief Executive

4 August 2023

Message from Chief Executive, Annemarie O'Donnell

Colleagues,

I want to give you an update on where we are with introducing a new pay and grading structure. As this is about your pay, I understand that this will be an unsettling time but remember we are doing this to meet our commitment to equal pay for staff.

The council has successfully concluded funding and settlement arrangements for equal pay claims until mid-October 2023 which meets an important part of our commitment to equal pay. Our focus will now fully move to concluding the job evaluation process and introducing a new pay and grading structure.

Council Officers have been working closely with Trade Unions on job evaluation activity and joint discussions have also commenced on options for a new pay and grading structure. Both the council and the Trade Unions share the aim of concluding this work as quickly as possible, whilst recognising the scale and complexity of the work still to be completed.

This means that there will be a period between the effective date of the new pay and grading structure, 15 October 2023, and its implementation.

Your pay and grading arrangements will therefore not change in October this year.

We will also work to agree arrangements for the appropriate backdating of pay to 15 October 2023 and pay protection where appropriate.

The council and trade unions are keen to minimise this period. Council officers are working on a revised plan for a target implementation in the latter part of financial year 2024/25.

We will continue to keep you updated with further details of the implementation plan which should be confirmed in the autumn.

I can assure you of our continued commitment to supporting you in the delivery of our essential services within the current financial climate and delivering on our commitment to equal pay.

As I said earlier, I know this is unsettling time, please remember this is about equal pay for you and your colleagues. Although I can't answer questions about individual circumstances you can send questions to me at Ask Annemarie and I will ask officers to publish frequently asked questions to help support you all during this time.

Regards,

Annemarie O'Donnell

Chief Executive

28 September 2022

The council is committed to resolving the issue of equal pay, making sure that everyone who works for the council is paid equally for equal work. The new pay and grading scheme will be designed with this in mind and to make sure that there is no discrimination in the future, taking input from the ongoing job evaluation work.

At this point, it is not possible to say how the new scheme will affect individuals. All jobs will need to be evaluated first and placed in a rank order based on demands of the role, then the appropriate grading and pay can be applied once the scheme has been designed.

To prepare for the work to design a new pay and grading scheme a project team has now been set up and the team are developing an implementation plan with input from our trade unions through a series of consultations and meetings. At this stage discussions are at a high level and are mainly for planning purposes that will lead to more technical research and design work.

The estimated timeline for the first pay under the new scheme is currently by April 2024 but this is based on many dependencies due to the complexity of the work involved.