Openreach – Outstanding TOIL Compensation
Branches will recall that a year ago, in February 2005, the Union secured an agreement that no-one would be disadvantaged as a result of not being able to take Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) under the FRS Agreement.
Over the past few months a number of individuals, around 450, have been placed in a similar situation because of the lost visibility of TOIL.
I reproduce for your information a letter from Alan Tower, Employee Relations, Openreach, setting out how this situation will be addressed.
Essentially, this is the same solution as last year that maintains NewGRID terms and also offers a choice for individuals.
TOIL
As you know, when FRS ceased on 5 February 2006 TOIL also ceased. I am writing to inform you of the arrangements we are putting in hand to manage a situation that has arisen.
The roll-out of Retrospective Time Recording (RTR) from October 2005 caused a loss of link between the TOIL system and NJR. This problem was mitigated by using the information on authorised timesheets from NJR to track TOIL hours. A fix was put in place for this problem on 23 January 2006. However, during this time a total of 450 team members did lose visibility of their TOIL for varying periods depending on when their patch went onto RTR. Whilst it is the individual’s responsibility to manage their TOIL, as per Annex H in the FRS agreement, I acknowledge this loss of visibility was not helpful for team members to do this. Therefore, to resolve this issue of outstanding TOIL for those 450 team members affected, I am proposing:
· All TOIL hours accrued by individuals up to the maximum of 4 hours will be paid at single rate; the balance will be paid at NewGRID premia rate.
· Instead of being paid at single rate for the first 4 hours, individuals will have the option of carrying forward that 4 hours and taking it as TOIL in the period 1 – 28 April 2006.
This proposal is identical to the resolution adopted by BT Retail last year and detailed to you in a letter from Charlie McKay in February 2005. It is fully in line with the principles of TOIL and gives a clear indication that Openreach will honour agreements between us.
I trust that these arrangements are acceptable to the CWU and look forward to receiving your confirmation of this.
Ian Cuthbert
Assistant Secretary