Contractual Change

la531983

Baldytyke88 said:

LightFlare said:

From what the OP understands (thinks) - they get paid 2 weeks in arrears and 2 weeks in advance. This would be unusual and I can see why the employer is looking to change and can’t see any argument for it be unreasonable 

This is not a big deal, but we have just received a pay ballot for strike action, which I am quite happy to accept.

Which has nothing to do with your local authority wanting to move the pay date 10 days further into month, thats the 24/25 pay award.

swingaloo

Baldytyke88 said:

LightFlare said:

From what the OP understands (thinks) - they get paid 2 weeks in arrears and 2 weeks in advance. This would be unusual and I can see why the employer is looking to change and can’t see any argument for it be unreasonable 

I am not sure how it works.

This change means that people can no longer pay their bills on the 16th, but they will need to pay on the 26th.

This is not a big deal, but we have just received a pay ballot for strike action, which I am quite happy to accept.

Is it ok to pay all my bills 10 days later?

No it doesnt, it is being changed by 2 days over a period of 5 months. Anyone old enough to pay bills is probably capable of changing the direct debit dates by a few days. Or, they could budget for the following months direct debits in advance.
Either way you seem to be being deliberately awkward about the changes. You have said you are heading towards retirement , do you really need this to be such a big deal. It seems you are complaining whilst at the same time admitting that you 'dont really know how it works'. 
Speak to HR, find out exactly how it will affect you and deal with it accordingly rather than give yourself the stress of fighting an issue that is trivial.

Savvy_Sue

LightFlare said:

Perhaps the OP,the Union and the members could actually find out how the current pay period works before objecting to change.

Being paid in the middle of the month doesn’t “describe” the actual pay period.

Does Sep 16th pay cover:

a) Aug 16th to Sep 16th
b) Sep 16th to Oct 16th ( very unlikely)
c) Sep 1st to Sep 30th

Sounds as if the employer could be looking to shift from A to C

I agree, the pay PERIOD is a vital part of this. They may not even be wanting to change the period, just the pay date: if the PERIOD is currently C, then having the pay date closer to the end of that period is a huge benefit. 

To explain that, our pay period was C, but our pay date was 25th. I used to 'close' payroll mid month to give time to calculate and set up payments etc.

If someone then went sick, I'd have to make adjustments the following month. The closer your pay date is to the end of the period, the fewer adjustments are going to be needed.

JES_F1

I've worked in local government for over 30 years and recall having our pay date changed at least twice in that time.

When I started, I think we were paid on the penultimate Friday of the month.  It changed to the last Friday of the month at some point.

We're currently paid on the 24th of the month, and if that's a weekend or bank holiday, we're paid on the Friday before (so the 22nd or 23rd, for example).  At Christmas, it's usually brought forward to about the 20th.  It's been like that for a very long time now.

Regardless of the date paid, we've been paid our usual salary for that month.  So we currently get about a week's worth of pay before we've actually worked it.  (Expenses, overtime, etc, have to be claimed by a certain date each month to catch the next payday.  Otherwise, you get them the payday after that.)

We were always given plenty of notice, and apart from checking whether it affected any bills or deciding whether to change the date of any direct debits, it wasn't a big deal.  I remember very little discussion with colleagues about it other than, "Oh, payday is changing"!

I only joined our union a couple of years ago so don't know whether members were consulted or what the union thought.  

Baldytyke88

JES_F1 said:

We were always given plenty of notice, and apart from checking whether it affected any bills or deciding whether to change the date of any direct debits, it wasn't a big deal.  I remember very little discussion with colleagues about it other than, "Oh, payday is changing"!

I only joined our union a couple of years ago so don't know whether members were consulted or what the union thought.  

Discussions on Facebook about the pay date change are being shut down quite quickly. I got a letter last week, saying the first change of date to 2 days later on November 18th.

MattMattMattUK

Baldytyke88 said:

redped said:

I definitely agree - the fact the employer is moving it two days per month shows that they are trying to help their staff, rather than enforcing a 10-day jump in pay dates in one go.

I have paid union subs for over 10 years, so anything that undermines the union is a negative.

That is a logical fallacy. 

Baldytyke88 said:

Having read their FAQ, we are saving them £600,000 and we are being offered nothing in return.

This change would not save them any money directly, it may save them money by a change in payroll provider etc. You are not losing out in any way from this change.

Baldytyke88 said:

After a quick Google, I can put a letter of objection in, which will mean that I do not accept their new contract.

You can send a letter of objection if you want, which may mean, depending on your contract that you are choosing to resign, choose carefully if you want to roll those dice.

Baldytyke88 said:

If they think it's easy, maybe they will want to save another £600,000 and move the pay date another 10 days next year.

The change in pay date may be saving them money in some way or another, but it not by not paying staff, you seem to be refusing to understand that you will not be any worse off because of this.

Baldytyke88 said:

I object to this change.

Ok. It seems you also object to your employment continuing. 

MattMattMattUK

Baldytyke88 said:

swingaloo said:

What do all the other staff think? Are they all stamping their feet and refusing to accept this very minor change or are they just getting on with things.

I don't think people know what to do, I drive a works vehicle and seldom see the majority of staff. I am coming towards retirement, and being treated like this makes me feel like they don't want workers like me.

What do you mean by "being treated like this"? You seem to be under some delusion that you will not be paid for work you do, that is not correct. 

Baldytyke88 said:

Many people on here are making political points,

Pointing out that there are good and bad unions is not a political point, it is just factual.

Baldytyke88 said:

I did actually suggest a 5/10% cut to sick pay during austerity, but it's not my job to solve the councils budget problems.

Then why suggest it?

MattMattMattUK

Baldytyke88 said:

LightFlare said:

From what the OP understands (thinks) - they get paid 2 weeks in arrears and 2 weeks in advance. This would be unusual and I can see why the employer is looking to change and can’t see any argument for it be unreasonable 

I am not sure how it works.

This change means that people can no longer pay their bills on the 16th, but they will need to pay on the 26th.

Is it ok to pay all my bills 10 days later?

People need to pay their bills before or when they are due, when one gets paid is irrelevant. 

Baldytyke88 said:

This is not a big deal, but we have just received a pay ballot for strike action, which I am quite happy to accept.

So there is an issue which you do not understand, which will not cost you anything and which does not inconvenience you in any meaningful way, but you are happy to go on strike because of that issue. That strike which will cost you money and will likely inconvenience you and many others?

redped

I'm beginning to wonder if this whole thread is a troll post - the OP has been asked multiple times what their objections are, it's being pointed out by (almost) everyone that they won't lose any money, and yet they don't reply to any of the questions with useful info apart from stating that the union doesn't like it, and they've voted to go on strike.

If the OP won't reply to any direct questions then there's no point feeding the troll.

robatwork

Occasionally, posters on MSE seem to prefer confirmation of a pre-conceived anti-establishment view, rather than a sensible exposition.

On this particular forum it seems more common.