Update from your TSSA Reps - 15 February 2022

Pay and Pensions

We have submitted a formal request for data on current pay levels of PB1-3 staff and the distribution across pay ranges and zones. We have also sought up to date information about pay reviews, particularly as EXCO directors pay was amended to take into account additional responsibilities from 1 February, whereas for lower graded staff this can take months or years to acknowledge formally. TSSA is supporting a number of members seeking pay reviews.  Your reps have also undertaken pay analysis on the data we do already hold and Pauline Matkins presented her graph of how your pay has been suppressed by pay for performance since 2015 at our last member call. This was the first time that many people appreciated the toxic effect of pay suppression on pay packets and on the value of your pension (which is based on final salaries. Join us on the call today to see that graph.

The Pensions review team are due to report in 2-3 weeks and your reps have been making strong representations about the impact of the PfP pay suppression on pensions - about which the review team were unaware. A 'side paper' is being drafted to explain this and when available will be shared with you. We will be setting up another special Pensions review briefing for members when the report is published by the review team. We cannot give any pensions advice as this can only be given by a qualified independent advisor - which is also why the pensions office are not able to give advice. However we can answer your questions about facts around pensions and the options being put on the table. Also checkout the information we are publishing on the website.

BAU CC Tuesday 15 February

Your reps meet with TfL this afternoon to discuss a number of important topics, including how consultations are being managed. There is a shift to online/written consultation rather than face to face/teams meetings, which is hampering our ability to ask questions and actively discuss the implications of proposals. We will be giving a verbal update later today at the weekly call and a written update in the next newsletter.

Policy Review update

TfL have submitted four policies so far for review and a timetable for the remainder. We are challenging them on their approach, which sees a parallel consultation with LU but no visibility of their comments on policies that will have joint application across the whole organisation. We will give an update today at our call following our discussion with TfL today at the BAU CC

Transformations Update

We are continuing to seek clarity about whether there are expected to be transformations as an outcome of the funding and financial situation. So far the feedback has been that nothing is planned other than those transformations that were already scheduled (P&SC PB1-3). We have been approached by some directorates who are seeking ways to balance resourcing to avoid the need for redundancies and the stress of a transformation programme. This retains talent in the organisation for when the financial situation improves.

P&SC
The senior management transformation has concluded and the directorate has decided to ensure that this is embedded and any PB4 vacancies are filled before starting on the PB1-3 transformations. These are now expected to start after the next Financial Year (so in 2023 not this year).

Fighting for LPO and VICs staff

The Visitor Information Centres closed or operated at a very reduced level during the pandemic and staff were furloughed and then allocated to other duties - mainly covering clearing the backlogs in the Lost Property Office. Visitor volumes are increasing but are still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels. We are meeting with the management team to seek firm assurances about how the slimmed down service will be resourced and to enable those who don't wish to return to front line roles to continue to be able to cover similar roles elsewhere. We have set up a virtual workplace meeting for affected staff to discuss the outcome of that meeting and next steps.

Please contact your local rep if you would like to raise similar issues and would like us to arrange a workplace meeting

Join our 'Team'

We have a thriving TSSA group on Microsoft Teams and many of the links in this newsletter go to content in our Teams site. It's very useful for sharing information with members. We are adding new content most days including the latest guidance for managers on managing through the Covid-19 pandemic and the latest on the review of the TfL Pension Scheme.

Click here to join us via Microsoft Teams  - or if you're already a member, you can view the latest managers' guidance here (currently v180) and the the channel for retirement and pensions here. There is further information on the pensions review on the TSSA website and we will be adding more content, so check back regularly.