Bulletin November 2023

G4S TRYING TO LIMIT ACAS INDEPENDENCE

Dear GMB Members,

We hope everyone is well.

G4S have proposed arbitration terms that would limit the independence of ACAS in settling the 2022 pay dispute, by proposing to limit the amount of any award to less than 7%, and that it cannot be backdated to December 2022, only from April 2023.

The proposal directly conflicts with earlier advice from ACAS, and misses, perhaps deliberately, the whole point of arbitration, which is for an independent umpire, ACAS, to determine the pay award for 2022 without restrictions imposed by one party.

We have sought intervention from ACAS and have proposed the following:

The parties agree to pursue conventional arbitration.

The arbitrator is asked to make a determination on the pay award, at a point between the final positions each of the parties reached in conciliation:

• 9.2% for GMB and;
• 5.15% (+0.25% payable April 2023 and 0.25% payable August 2023) for the Company.

For staff covered by the G4S DWP contract for the 2022/23 annual pay period (anniversary 1st December 2022) as outlined in Company information.

The award is backdated to the start of the pay year for 2022/2023 ie December 2022.

We will update members once we receive feedback from ACAS and/or the Company.

The DWP contract is also now out for re-tender and we will be contacting the DWP to make a contribution on behalf of members, particularly in respect of the expectations of any successful service provider and their responsibilities regarding pay and conditions.

Please ensure you share this update with non-members and encourage them to voice their opinions on pay by joining GMB: https://www.gmb.org.uk/join-gmb

In solidarity,

GMB DWP LNC                                                                                                                                                                           GMB National Officer