MONEY
AFPRB is Still IN BUSINESS and needs the Federation’s Evidence
On hearing that the current two-year pay freeze was to be followed by a further two years of pay restraint, with public sector pay awards to be limited to a ceiling of only 1%, the RAF FF got in touch with the AFPRB with the question: Does the Body still have a role?
T
he question posed by the RAF FF and the answer given by the AFPRB are produced below so readers
can understand the continuing importance of the AFPRB and the Federation’s role in providing independent evidence on behalf of RAF families.
Question from the RAF FF Chairman: “I wonder if it would be possible to ask the Chairman of the AFPRB for his response to the Government’s decision to limit pay awards for public sector employees, including the Armed Forces, to a max 1% for a further 2 years from the end of the current 2-year pay freeze.
“As you know, RAF families have questioned the role of the AFPRB during a pay freeze and we have been robust in defending the need for continuing evidence sessions and unit visits to feed information into their recommendations. Indeed, we ran AFPRB- specific surveys for the last two years and were planning to do something similar in 2012, but now wonder if such surveys will receive much response if the families view the AFPRB’s role as diminished.
“We were wondering if perhaps the AFPRB sees its role changing slightly in response to this news, perhaps using the intervening years to help influence the New Employment Model, specifically the areas of remuneration and accommodation, the key areas of expertise where we believe the AFPRB adds real value to the pay award process.
“If we could pin the AFPRB’s flag to influencing this emerging policy, I believe it would strengthen our ‘call for evidence’ from the families we represent as to what sort of remuneration package and other Terms &Conditions of Service they believe the Armed Forces should receive in the future.
“I would welcome any thoughts the Chairman and fellow members of the
28 Envoy Spring 2012
Review Body might be willing to share with us, and I copy this to my colleagues in the Army FF and Naval FF who I am sure will have similar concerns”.
Answer from the AFPRB: “The Chair of AFPRB understands your concerns about the implications for AFPRB of the announcement that for the next two years Review Bodies will be constrained to make pay awards averaging only 1% per year (on top of whatever increments personnel receive).
“AFPRB knows that personnel were looking forward to the end of the pay freeze and will be disappointed by the continuing pay restraint. AFPRB values greatly the evidence which the Families’ Federations submit to us each year, and we appreciate that you want to encourage a strong response to your excellent survey.
“The first point to make is that though there will be pay restraint, the AFPRB is getting back to its normal role as a strictly independent body making recommendations to government. And even during the pay freeze it has made recommendations on a range of issues of great importance to the remit group:
for example changes to some aspects of Specialist Pay and Northern Ireland Residents’ Supplement in the last Report. There will not be much additional money to play with, so it will be particularly important for AFPRB to have strong evidence on which areas should have the highest priority.
“Secondly, you are right to note that AFPRB will be following closely the development of the New Employment Model, and seeking to influence the MoD’s thinking on this.
“AFPRB will be keeping in close touch with MoD’s thinking on pensions and is concerned to ensure that there is proper consultation with personnel about any pension proposals, and trusts that it will be a very active participant in the consultation process.
“I hope that this reassures you that AFPRB will play a robustly independent role in the coming years and that your members will be encouraged to respond as actively as in the past to your survey”.
Note: The Federation’s AFPB survey will launch in Jun 12. Watch out for details and tell us what you think!
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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