Islington Council Trade Union Facility Time Reporting 2018

Islington Council Trade Union Facility Time Reporting 2018 - 19

Introduction. The Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017 came into force on the 1 st April, 2017. These regulations require Islington Council to publish information relating to the amount and cost of facility time within the organisation. Islington Council believes that the provision of facility time to Trades Union representatives is a vital part of ensuring good employee relations. The Council, as an employer, works in co-operation with Trades Unions, supports the system of collective bargaining and believes in the principal of resolving employee relations issues by consultation, discussion or negotiation, as appropriate. The facility time reported here is given for the purpose of representing only those employees who are directly employed by Islington Council. Separate arrangements are in place for Islington’s schools, and facility time in schools is reported separately.

Context. The Council is required by law to grant Trades Union representatives reasonable paid time off for their Trades Union duties as and when required. Employees holding Branch Office positions are seconded from their roles for up to 100% of their working hours for this purpose. The Council encourages all its employees to join a Trades Union and recognises the following: • Unison • GMB • Unite Facility time is granted to cover duties such as accompanying an employee to formal meetings. It is also given to Trades Union representatives to cover activities relating to the Trades Union itself, such as attending branch meetings and training. Facility time is not given for meetings calling for action against the Council.

Reporting requirements. The Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017 require the Council to publish the following information: • the number of employees who were relevant union officials during the relevant period, and the number of full time equivalent employees • the percentage of time spent on facility time • the percentage of the Council’s total gross pay bill spent on facility time • the number of hours spent by relevant union officials on paid trade union activities as a percentage of total paid facility time hours. The first period for which publication of this data was required was the financial year 2017/18. The Council’s data for 2018 – 19 is provided below.

Report Total number of employees who were relevant union officials during the relevant period, (2017 -18) and entitled to paid time off for relevant trade union duties. 24 Employees are not all contracted to work full time hours. The equivalent full time number of trade union officials who were entitled to paid time off for relevant trade union duties (full time equivalent employee number). 22. 20

Report Percentage of time spent on facility time: The number of employees who were relevant union officials during the relevant period and spent a) 0%; b)1 – 50%; c) 51 -99%; or d)100% of their working hours on facility time. Percentage of time Number of employees 0% 1 1 -50% 8 51 -99% 8 100% 7

Report The percentage of the total gross pay bill for the Council, including pension and national insurance costs spent on facility time (calculated as the cost of facility time ÷ the total pay bill × 100). 0. 1 The amount of time spent on paid trade union activities, (such as attending branch meetings, annual conferences and training) as a percentage of the total paid facility hours (calculated as the total hours spent on paid trade union activities by relevant trade union officials during the relevant period ÷ total paid facility time hours × 100). 2. 42