By Safira Ali

Last updated 11:54, Saturday, 03 May 2008

Allerdale council workers are in uproar after they were told this week that some workers will have their pay cut, and the worst hit could lose up to £7,000.

About 400 council staff were told during a meeting at the Carnegie Theatre on Wednesday that some would receive pay cuts and others pay rises under a new pay and grading system.

The changes come after the Government ordered all councils to carry out a review so that people doing the same job would get the same amount of money as each other. Although the review was announced in 1997, most councils are just starting to implement it.

The effect of the review on other councils in Cumbria including Carlisle, Copeland and Eden is not yet known.

Council staff’s job roles have been evaluated over several months on 13 factors including: knowledge, mental skills, emotional demands, responsibility for people and supervision.

The changes will see 79 staff receive cuts, 95 staff will see an increase and 85 of the staff will have their pay capped. This means that 59 per cent of the staff will stay the same or benefit from the review.

A council spokeswoman said: “Some staff will experience a decrease in pay, ranging from a few pounds to about £7,000. Others will experience an increase in pay, ranging from a few pounds to about £7,000.

“Staff will still get inflationary rises. These are agreed nationally and implemented by all councils. Inflationary rises are unaffected by the pay and grading review.

“Staff do have the right to appeal. The experience of other authorities suggests that 50 per cent of appeals could result in an increase. The council has budgeted for increases in pay as a result of appeals.”

The council said increases are through all levels of the authority, but 15 per cent of them will be at managerial level. Many front line staff will gain from the process, including cleaners of public toilets and benefits assessors.

Others, such as parking attendants, will have their pay changed so everyone doing a similar job will be paid similar amounts.

But staff who will be facing pay cuts will not feel the full effect for another two years.

Council staff have until May 15 to appeal the decisions.

One council worker, who did not want to be named, told the News & Star that many workers are angry.

He said: “A lot of the workers are going to have their pay capped. The cost of living increases by six per cent. So it is like we are getting a three per cent pay cut.

“I know one person who has been told his pay will be cut by £7,000. Others will see a decrease by £1,000 to £2,000.

“The ones who have been there the longest will be the worst hit because after the evaluation they will not be seeing any more pay rises. Some workers are getting paid less than the toilet cleaners.

“The general feeling is that people are angry. Everyone is pointing the finger at each other and asking why they are getting paid more than themselves.

“The council has had years to do this. And they are now a year behind schedule. But we were only told this week, and we have two weeks to appeal.”

Mike Rollo, Unison chairman, said: “The council started a pay review in April 2007. It was part of a pay review to stop inequalities in the work place and to bridge any divides. This has been an on-going project between Unison and management at Allerdale council.

“All posts had to be evaluated using the National Joint Council’s pay grading scheme. The management are putting into place a proposed pay structure.

“We are going to continue giving support to our members. Staff can appeal if they don’t like it. All our members will be balloted. We have negotiated the best we could at local level.”

An Allerdale council spokesman said: “Our new pay and grading structure has been jointly developed with Unison over the last few months following a full job evaluation exercise last year. The trade unions have been involved all the way.

“This has ensured that the interests of staff have been at the forefront of the process.

“This is an important step in ensuring we are meeting our obligations under equal pay legislation.”

The directors and chief executive are not included in this review but directors will be undergoing a similar job evaluation exercise.