For me the worst aspect is again the turn out.
It is beyond comprehension how such a huge number of people are either too bone idle to put pen to paper and use the PREPAID envelope or just don't care enough to cast a vote.
One point i would like to make is that part of the reason why the union recommended this offer was because in their opinion RPI for August would more than likely be -3.5% or worse. I questioned this at the time as i failed to see how it would ever fall to that level. RPI at the turn of the year was 0% and by April it was -1.2%. May has just been published as -1.1% and as it stands at the moment both the US and UK are saying the worst of the recession is over. That gives us a blended RPI of 3.7% and we will get 3% based on today's figures. Using predictions of RPI to get a pay deal is NOT a good method.
Now that a YES has been voted through my concern is the ability to get the back pay right. Once you factor in back pay(including any spine point increases), OJTI pay(both activation and hourly payment, with a spine point increase in april), Pension and NI it becomes a very complicated affair. How is anyone supposed to be able to check that it is all correct when it finally gets paid.
Answers on a postcard.
