NUPW says public workers can appeal regrading outcomes

More than 20 000 public-sector workers could see changes to the assessed value of their jobs following a just-completed major regrading exercise, with the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) now examining the report.

The union says workers who are dissatisfied with their individual outcomes will be able to appeal, as it examines the findings of the first major public-sector job evaluation in 20 years.

Acting General Secretary Wayne Walrond told Barbados TODAY on Thursday that the NUPW would be going through the report in detail before formally advising its membership. He confirmed that the evaluation will affect job descriptions and positions for public officers and state-owned enterprise (SOE) workers.

“The union is about to peruse [the report] in detail and make its conclusions and comments,” Walrond said.

“There is still a process whereby persons can appeal the outcome,” he explained, adding, “There is still room for review where persons can flag concerns with the outcomes and the union is still committed to engaging those job descriptions where persons would flag concerns after seeing the review.”

The union leader admitted that public workers might learn about the report’s contents from sources other than the NUPW.

“I can’t say that the only forum through which one can become aware of their job description is through the union, but we have a responsibility to reach out to members and inform them of the outcome of the job evaluation,” Walrond said.

In an earlier interview, General Secretary Richard Green said the NUPW had two senior officials guiding the evaluation process and confirmed that the job assessment, the first in 20 years, did not include any retrenchments.

“The significance of a job evaluation is that, over time, as jobs change, the specific functions and tasks change as well,” he explained. “Some become redundant, and then there are new tasks that didn’t form part of a specific job. Now what a job evaluation seeks to do is to recognise the current value of a job as opposed to the value of a job in the past.

“What is important… to note is that within a job evaluation, individuals within a specific position cannot be downgraded. This means that if you are in a job and the assessment of that job now determines that the value of that job is lower, it does not affect the persons in the positions.

“But the persons coming into that position, the new value would reflect the salary of the new position or the new person coming into that position.”

Green said the review gives jobs that have become more complex a chance to be valued more accurately, which could lead to higher salaries.

“We will assess the jobs in light of the skills that are required, the competencies required, the qualifications required, and the market value of that job should be reflected in the job evaluation exercise,” said the union head.

As lead bargaining agent for public officers, the NUPW is part of both the oversight and scoring committees. Green emphasised that the union will keep monitoring the process to make sure the results are fair, especially since pay and conditions could change.

He reiterated that no jobs would be made fully redundant. Instead, duties may be added or changed to keep up with new skills and technology.

(EJ)