ICC Educators Dispute

About the Dispute

UNISON members working as Integrated Control Centre Educators at North West Ambulance Service have voted unanimously to take industrial action after their employer failed to follow a fair process when removing Recruitment and Retention Premia to their roles.

The educators’ department was restructured in 2023, splitting the previous ‘ICC Educator’ post into two separate jobs, one focusing on call handling training and the other on dispatch. Despite these posts being evaluated at band 5 like the previous combined role, and despite the labour market conditions and potential recruitment pool being similar or identical (depending on the role in question), NWAS removed the RRP without providing any market information, undertaking any joint review or agreeing any pay protection arrangements for those previously on secondment, despite Agenda for Change outlining that the removal of RRP should only take place as a result of a joint review in partnership.

This has created a two tier workforce in the education team, and led to many staff suffering a pay cut on promotion. Members are angry at what appears to be a cost-cutting exercise at their expense, when the underlying risks regarding recruitment and retention to the team are still current. Communication around the removal of the RRP was poor and had members known getting a promotion would lead to a pay cut, many would not have applied.

After their clear ballot mandate, UNISON members will be taking action short of strike action continuously from 27th February, starting and finishing work at their contractual base and withdrawing from a number of activities including the marking of assessments, HR duties (such as return to work meetings), and training of clinical staff and managers at band 6 or above.

They are calling for a full partnership review of the application of RRP to their roles, as well as the reinstatement of RRP with backpay to cover the period NWAS removed it unreasonably.

Show your support

You can support their campaign by signing NWAS branch’s petition online here.