By Gary Cooper

COUNCIL WORKERS in Angus have been crippled by a new pay deal which has seen some wage packets shrink by up to £8000 a year, it was claimed yesterday.

A number of employees were said to be shell-shocked at their regrading, with one describing the new single-status structure as a kick in the teeth after some suffered massive reductions in their salaries.

A trade union official distanced his organisation from the latest development, stressing the package being offered was not sanctioned by his group.

It is understood from a source in the council that some staff have seen their pay cut by anything from a few pounds to well into four figures.

“We were led to believe some people’s wages would go down, but most people’s would go up,” he explained.

“We never expected the salary reductions to be to this degree and I haven’t heard of anyone who has gone up by thousands.

“There seems to be no rhyme nor reason for it and people are just shattered by the whole thing. Some went away home in tears.”

The council worker said he was aware of one astonishing wage cut where an employee’s take-home was slashed from £27,000 to £15,000.

“That person was told it was an error—some error,” said the source. “They were told that that would be looked into.

“But how can someone one day be worth £20,000 or so and the next day be worth up to £8000 less?

“It’s the impact on folk who have things like mortgages. How do they cope?”

Another worker condemned the structure as being out of date, as it was based on a job-evaluation exercise carried out three years ago.

That employee was grappling with a cut well into four figures or 25% of their salary and is looking ahead at the new banding’s effect on retirement.

The cuts do not take effect for three years, but the worker is worried about the effect on a final salary pension.

Last week council administration leader Bob Myles admitted some workers would be worse off and it “was never going to be an issue where everybody was going to be satisfied.”

A council spokeswoman said 12% of employees were affected by wage cuts under the agreement to harmonise pay, grading and conditions of service of administrative, professional, technical and clerical (APT&C) and manual workers.

She said 4300 such employees had their jobs evaluated and put on a single new 14-grade scale the council proposes to introduce on April 1, adding £3 million to its wage bill.

There has been discussion with unions since May, and they continue in search of agreement, she said.

GMB regional organiser John Begley took issue with any implication the deal had the blessing of his union.

“We have not agreed their (the council) figures on job evaluation and we have not agreed any salaries,” he explained. “We have agreed no part of it.

“I have said to the council quite clearly that some of their figures are totally unacceptable.

“It was premature for the council to put out any figures at this stage. I think that is wrong and sends out a panic message.”

Angus Council said the number facing wage cuts will reduce as annual pay awards are applied to the new grades, falling to around 6.9% by the end of the first year, and 4.7% by the end of the third year.