ARC NEWS 75 Feb-Mar 2015

“I am still on my meds and will be until spring at the earliest. If it can get to someone like me it can get to anyone…”

“Committee is…lively, intellectual, perceptive, persuasive, slightly anal and, on occasion, mildly bonkers.”

“I had a laptop, a Blackberry and a social life full of ‘networking’ events – there was no ‘off ’ button.”

Letters—4

Mark George—14

Emma Stearman—30

ISSUE 75 | FEB/MAR 2015

JUST

ask

Tony Wallace poses some fundamental questions—p10 arc-forum.org

FIRST

EDITORIAL

WILL RICHARDSON

I

was saddened to see the thread on arc-forum about the lack of posts, with some suggesting that this might be because people no longer felt safe expressing dissenting opinions on the forum. It wasn’t clear whether this was a fear of management or Committee, but at least one poster seemed to hint it was the latter – I may have drawn the wrong inference from the post, and I certainly hope so.

I wondered idly whether the dearth of posts had other causes, the more vociferous posters never, I’m glad to say, having previously shown any fear of expressing themselves. The dull post-Christmas comedown, perhaps; or simply a lack of subjects about which to post? I quickly dismissed the latter theory; there has been plenty to attract the ire, humour and forensic talents of the regulars. Then I wondered whether the department’s decision to allow comments at the end of Intranet newsroom articles – as online newspapers do – had simply given people a wider audience and attracted them away from the forum.

I confess that when I saw the announcement I had my doubts. Not about whether it’s a good idea, but whether HMRC had thought it through and could cope with the consequences. Of course they can ‘moderate’ but any real censorship will soon get out through the two unions, rather in the way that people whose Hotseat questions are never answered manage to let fellow ARC and PCS members know about it. So management has the choice of allowing hostile comments or risking accusations of suppression. The reaction to the article about a ‘cautious welcome’ from users in Albert Bridge House to Caseflow 2 reinforced my view. It was followed by a string of scathing criticisms of Caseflow 2, many questioning whether what was being reported represented the real views of the users.

My guess is that the addition of the comment facility was a wellintentioned attempt to engage, in the spirit of Building our Future, and I hope the department sticks to its guns and allows the maximum possible comment, critical or not, in the belief that two-way communication is twice as good as one-way.

I am less convinced by Yammer, although willing to give it a try. Last time I looked (and I’m definitely looking less often) about 8,000 people had signed up. I know that there are some ARC groups (Committee, and I think a couple of Centres so far), but there is a lot of “I’m really interested in understanding our customer journey and does anyone have any tips?” One is tempted to reply “if you want ExCom to know how signed-up you are to the latest buzzword, why not just email them?” Having said that, I feel the same way about Facebook, but I still check it regularly because it keeps me in touch with friends whom I don’t see in the flesh very often. Maybe Yammer will prove useful once the dust has settled.

Meanwhile, why not log onto arc-forum and ramp up the conversation? (I admit I’m an offender, posting very infrequently even in the Committee area.)

And I promise, if I am still editor, if (when?) arcnews goes fully online I will move heaven and earth to ensure there is a comment facility.

Will Richardson Editor

2

arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

FIRST

CAPTION COMPETITION THIS ISSUE

The picture shows, from left to right, John Parkhouse, an unfeasibly large pair of naans and Tony Wallace. But what might any of them be saying or thinking. Entries to arcnewseditor@gmail.com by 15 March please. is published by the Association of Revenue and Customs (ARC) 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN www.twitter.com/arc_union Tony Wallace, President: 020 7401 5559 President’s Secretary: 020 7401 5573 Fax: 020 7401 5552 Membership: 020 7401 5590 membership@fda.org.uk Editor: Will Richardson arcnewseditor@gmail.com Mobile: 07973 895887 Deputy Editors: Julie Blayney Steve McFarlane Design & Production: www.lexographic.co.uk Advertising and classifieds: Simon Briant SDB Marketing 01273 594455 simon@sdbmarketing.co.uk Printing: Warners Midlands PLC The Maltings Manor Lane Bourne Lincolnshire PE10 9PH

ARCNEWS 73

Congratulations to David Mepsted.

“It always used to look so glamorous when Suzy Dent was in dictionary corner.’

The views expressed in arcnews are not necessarily the views of the editor or the union. arcnews is printed on environmentally-friendly paper produced from sustainable forests and wrapped in biodegradable polywrap.

Please recycle after you have finished reading this magazine.

arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

3

FIRST LETTERS

Letters Letters on all topics are welcome. We may edit letters for sense and syntax; please email them to arcnewseditor@gmail.com and mark them clearly for publication or write to ARC, 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN.

Out in the open J

im Mullen’s article about his hidden disability was a really good piece, and as someone with more than one hidden disability (three at the last count, including one caused by playing rugby) I appreciated Jim’s courage in ‘coming out’ about his disability, the problems it can cause and how others may be unaware.

Like Jim, my disabilities can affect my interactions with others and whilst Jim may then get seen as a grumpy Tyke (someone from Yorkshire, for those who don’t know) I tend to get seen as a grumpy old man. I think HMRC is getting better at dealing with hidden disabilities, which are many and varied, though the most common – which will affect at least 25% of us at some point in our lives – is mental illness. I am very pleased to see activity in HMRC to remove the stigma 4

and taboos surrounding mental health, but what would really help would be a less pressured workplace trying to achieve things that we simply do not have the resources for.

As the old saying goes an ounce of help is worth a ton of pity. To emulate Jim’s openness, my disabilities include being diabetic. I was diagnosed in 2002, and manage the condition well, though that does not prevent my blood sugar levels fluctuating at times – especially in stressful situations – which can then affect my cognitive ability and my behaviour. I personally know a number of other diabetics in HMRC,

and I have been trying to discourage lunchtime meetings, ideally keeping the 12.00 to 14.00 slot meeting-free unless working lunches are provided. Diabetes can lead to other disabilities (blindness, kidney failure and amputation) and this includes an increased vulnerability to clinical depression, something which happened to me in the summer of 2014, resulting in three months away from work. Frankly unless you have suffered from it or know someone who has had it you have no idea of what it is like.

And never ask someone why they are depressed – they don’t know, they just are; it is a real condition.

I am still on my meds and will be until the spring at the earliest. If it can get to someone like me it can get to anyone, so I would implore anyone who is showing signs of depression to seek medical help as soon as possible.

My rugby playing injury did not appear for several decades after I had hung up my boots and thankfully, apart from the initial flare up, the pain has been at a background level, though after a day in London it can be pretty sore. The injury? Thankfully not a head injury but both my ankles have moderate degeneration due to osteoarthritis.

So there we have it; if I were a horse I would have been shot a while ago! There is much truth in the old adage that old age does not travel alone. So what can colleagues do? Well, some understanding would be good, but don’t excuse behaviour due to a disability; just talk with the person and recognise that they may not be aware of their behaviour or the effects of it. This may well assist in gaining more awareness for both parties, and that can only arcnews

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FIRST JOINING COMMITTEE

Your Union needs

you!

Julie Blayney issues an appeal. be a good thing.

Name and address supplied.

The value of print T

he loss of arcnews would be regrettable but understandable. For current HMRC personnel electronic updates would serve the intended purpose for working information.

The needs of retired staff differ and it is for that reason that I request the consideration of the creation of some less frequent hard-copy digest or document of record containing six-monthly or annual summaries of progress and activities in the main topics. Older minds like to process wider fields of time, referring back and placing them in the context of the Revenue now long gone. Paper copies and reflection go together.

Personally I retain and look back at old issues of arcnews. As the number of my contemporaries arcnews

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diminish I look forward to new information that can be reviewed at leisure. It does not have to be multi-coloured or lavishly illustrated but some form of occasional printed summary would be gratefully appreciated.

Leslie Crumpton-Taylor

Follow the rules I

was disappointed to see in Iain Campbell’s otherwise illuminating article on ‘Building our Future’ an explanation of the meaning of discussions that take place under the Chatham House rules (sic) of “strict confidentiality”.

There is only one such rule, helpfully explained on that organisation’s website. It prohibits attribution of comments rather than their reporting – which is why I always check what people really mean when it is mentioned in the work situations!

John Moore

For those of you who aren’t aware, there have been a few resignations from Committee lately (all due to new jobs – best of luck all!). Due to the printing timetable for arcnews, you may have already seen updates seeking nominations for vacancies by the time you read this, however it seemed a good time to encourage people to stand for Committee.

The main reason people don’t join a union is because no-one asks them, and I suspect that if we asked ARC members why they have never stood for Committee it would be the same response. I’m hoping this might make you think about it now.

Before I got involved with ARC, my naïve idea of Committee was always of tax professionals who have spent years as activists, and there are certainly some on the current committee who fall into that category – thankfully, as they usually have the best knowledge of when issues occurred before, and what the rules say! However, it is by no means exclusively composed of that stereotype (see Mark George’s piece on page 14).

ARC members are a varied bunch, and so is Committee. We have a huge range of professions, ages, experience, working patterns and locations.

We also have Committee members with disabilities, caring responsibilities and non-work commitments.

So if you are interested in ARC and the issues facing members, why not think about standing at the next election?

If you are elected then you will get facility time, though there is also an element of using your own time. You will also get support and training for your new responsibilities. However, you will likely find yourself doing things you’ve never done before or even considered (I have to admit that I never expected to be deputy editor of arcnews).

The specifics of what you will gain from your time on Committee will be individual to you, but it is very telling that even those who stand down will recommend the role to others.

If you are thinking of standing, and would like to discuss it further, feel free to contact your Committee Liaison Office.

5

FIRST OBITUARY

Laurie Phelps “A role model and inspiration”.

LAURIE RECEIVING THE ISO

I

t was with great sadness that longerserving members of Committee learned that Laurie Phelps died a couple of weeks before Christmas after a long period of ill-health.

Laurie was one of the great characters of the Association of HM Inspectors of Taxes (AIT), the predecessor of ARC in the Inland Revenue.

He served for several years as a Vice President on AIT Committee, leading national negotiations in a number of areas and enjoying cordial relations, based on mutual respect and long-standing

6

personal friendships, with the Inland Revenue Staff Federation (IRSF), one of PCS’s predecessors in the same department. Even in the most difficult situations he could deliver harsh messages to management with a smile and the occasional quotation from Gilbert and Sullivan.

He went to great trouble to ensure that the unions presented a united Trade Union Side position; his personality helped in this, and IRSF colleagues appreciated that, as TUS chair, he would sometimes propound views that were theirs rather than his own, keenly

aware that give and take between the unions was more important than just winning today’s argument.

When I joined Committee, Laurie was an experienced hand; his interventions, both at Committee and the AGM, were invariably both constructive and entertaining, often illustrated with examples from his own experience as a District Inspector. He was particularly fond of describing the donkey rides on the beach at Weston-superMare, where he was DI at the end of his career.

According to Laurie the donkeys were famously irascible and unpredictable, leading him to tell one senior manager in Wales, who had a penchant for negative feedback, that they shared ‘an interest in kicking asses west of Bristol’.

Laurie was a great fan of the theatre, especially musicals, and with Mike Metcalfe, Jack Lomas and Brian Atkinson would precede AIT Committee meetings with a trip to the theatre, buying tickets from the half-price booth in Leicester Square. His interest extended to performance, and he was

active in amateur dramatics. David Halliday recalls that he played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. David also remembers finding a good luck card from Laurie, by then retired, awaiting him on his first day as President of the AIT. Laurie was always welcoming to new members of Committee and the union. Gareth Hills remembers being impressed, at his first AIT Centre meeting, that the DI of Weston-superMare was both President of Bristol Centre and a national Vice-President, at a time when DIs enjoyed, as Gareth puts it, ‘prestige and no little influence in both the department and the local community’. Gareth describes Laurie as ‘a role model and inspiration to me in my union aspirations’.

Laurie’s gentle humour and dedication to the Department and the union impressed everyone who dealt with him.

Thanks to former Presidents Mike Metcalfe, David Halliday and Gareth Hills for sharing their memories of Laurie.

Will Richardson arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

FIRST ARC AGM AND DINNER

ARC AGM notice N

otice is hereby given that the 2015 Annual General Meeting of the Association of Revenue and Customs will be held on Wednesday 13 May 2015 at the headquarters of the National Union of Teachers, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1.

The timetable for receipt of motions, names of delegates, and issue of the final agenda is in the table (right), together with the equivalent dates for the FDA Annual Delegate Conference.

For those wishing to stay the night nearby (and close to the ARC AGM and FDA ADC) ARC has secured hotel rooms for the nights of 12-13 May 2015 at the Royal National Hotel (www.imperialhotels.co.uk/royalnational). The rate is £121 per night including VAT and breakfast, for single or double occupancy of a twin or double room. To book please contact Rachel Tighe at Absolute Venues (tel: 0161 929 2512 or email Rachel@absolutevenues. co.uk) by 27 March to secure this rate.

She will make the reservation and take credit card details as the individual is responsible for all charges (also once booked you will be liable for the cost unless you cancel 24 hours prior to arrival.)

You can book elsewhere but the Treasurer will expect you to be claiming no more than the amount above.

TIMETABLE FOR 2015 ANNUAL MEETINGS Last date for receipt of motions

ARC AGM: Wed 25 March FDA ADC: Thurs 5 March

Last date for receipt of names and official addresses of delegates together with amendments to motions for the FDA ADC: ARC AGM: 16 April (noon)

FDA ADC: 16 April (noon)

Final agenda to be issued to members in the week commencing:

ARC AGM: 27 April FDA ADC: 27 April

ARC DINNER (electronic notice to be sent) 13 May evening Date of meetings

ARC/AGM: 13 May

FDA ADC: 14 May

ARC FORUM

Join the debate Visit arc-forum.org and join the debate. It’s a members-only site and you will need to register the first time you visit.

Registration is simple, but if you are new to forums, you can email the forum administrator at graham@fda.org.uk and Graham

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Flew will provide a “help card” to explain how the forum works.

The forum is a useful place to read about things happening in the union, and also to pass on your views. And you will be able to catch up on the latest by reading Tony’s President’s Blog.

7

MEET THE COMMITTEE FIRST

Profile Eva Braniff Committee member

Within a few days of joining Committee last March I was told I should start giving some thought to a profile for arcnews. This didn’t strike me as an unreasonable request, especially as I was elected unopposed to the Northern Ireland Reserved Seat and members had not seen an election address. However, it would be an understatement to say that I have never harboured any particular aspirations towards literary recognition. I have been waiting with some trepidation therefore to be asked to put pen to paper. That time is now.

The very fact that I refer to pens and paper rather than keyboards and mice (is that a technical term?) should give you a clue about how long I have been in the Department.

Bizarrely as I write this article today I’m celebrating (if that’s the right word) my 33rd anniversary in HMRC. I joined the former Inland Revenue on 11 January 1982 as a fresh faced clerical assistant 8

on one of the PAYE teams in Windsor House, Belfast. At that time, Windsor House was the tallest building in Ireland, let alone just Northern Ireland. Unfortunately this iconic status also afforded it the dubious reputation of attracting a lot of unwanted attention from terrorist groups. Those were certainly difficult times but despite the problems, the job always got done and there was a wonderfully supportive sense of family and community in the workplace.

Happily things have moved on significantly since the 1980s. The Belfast of today is unrecognisable from the city of three decades ago.

The same is also true of HMRC. In the nineteenth

century the Cardinal and scholar John Henry Newman wrote “to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.” Personally I am all in favour of change, provided of course, I can see the rationale and benefit.

Change often brings with it challenge and difficulties but it can also bring excitement and the prospect of interesting new opportunities. Change is part of the fabric of life in HMRC. Since joining the Department I have been fortunate to avail myself of some of those opportunities and progress to G7.

I think it’s fair to say that HMRC’s track record for managing change hasn’t always been exemplary but many times over the years I have seen

things change for the better – computerisation, open reporting and the merger with Customs and Excise to name but a few.

Sadly though, especially in recent times, I have also seen some gratuitous, illconsidered change.

As part of this profile I was asked to say a few words about why I wanted to serve on Committee.

Throughout my time in the Department I have been a union member.

I still have my old IRSF membership card which I proudly took ownership of back in those dim and distant days in 1982. I was never really actively involved. I convinced myself I was always too busy with work to get involved in union activities. I was typically arcnews

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“I think it’s fair to say that HMRC’s track record for managing change hasn’t always been exemplary but many times over the years I have seen things change for the better.” apathetic and content to let others work tirelessly on my behalf. My experience in recent years has changed all that.

Ironically as I have progressed through the grades, departmental change has ensured that my autonomy has decreased. I am regularly told I am a senior leader in HMRC but departmental focus on process and ticking boxes leaves little time to actually lead.

It’s a sad indictment but in the last three years I have felt more overworked, more underpaid and less valued by my employer than in any of the preceding 30 years. It was this experience that made me think seriously about getting actively involved with ARC. Helen Keller said “science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all – the apathy of human beings.”

Yes, it’s taken a long time for the penny to finally drop but as they say, better late than never. I sincerely hope that my arcnews

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role on Committee will allow me in some small way to make a difference and work to ensure the future change experience is a positive one for our members.

Today I have the privilege of managing a team of technical trainees in MSB. I think I can say confidently that for me it’s the perfect job. Yes it’s often challenging and always busy but it’s also extremely rewarding. For me there is no better sense of personal achievement than to have played a part in the growth and development of our very capable cadre of tax professionals and tomorrow’s leaders. Their passion, enthusiasm and commitment make it very easy for me to suspend any temptation towards cynicism and throw myself wholeheartedly into the role. As we ‘Build our Future’ towards 2020 and beyond I remain buoyant in the thought that HMRC will be in safe hands and well equipped to cope with the many changes yet to come 9

Just Ask

Y

Tony Wallace addresses some fundamental questions

ou may be aware that HMRC, in line with DWP and a number of other large Government departments, has been consulting on the withdrawal of check-off (direct payment of union subs from salary), and they have now announced that withdrawal. ARC has only a very small number of members who still pay their subscriptions in this way and I have 10

written personally to each asking them to move across to direct debit. I believe that the only reason that our colleagues of many years standing have not changed their arrangements is that it is a small hassle to do so and that with no imperative to change why would anyone? I wouldn’t. But given that check-off’s days are numbered please get your DD forms in as quickly as you can, assuming that you arcnews

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“Why be a member of a union at all these days?

What is it that our members want?

How do we increase our numbers and participation? have not already done so.

Drafting the letters has been really useful, not least because it has caused me to ask myself the wider questions: why be a member of a union at all these days, what is it that our members want and how do we increase our numbers and participation? Those are not just rhetorical questions designed to move the narrative of this article forward, they are genuine questions. I have my own thoughts on all three and you won’t be surprised that I am about to give them to you but I would be genuinely interested in the views of you, our readership. I am sure that Will would be delighted to publish any thoughts that you have, but for the moment you are stuck with mine.

Why be a member of ARC? The first and most obvious answer to that question is that ARC provides the collective voice to tell our employer; what you want from it, what you would like it to do and what you would rather like it to stop doing. The problem that we have at the moment is that the “what we would rather that you stop doing” side of the balance outweighs heavily the “what we would like you to do” part. This is a problem exacerbated by the political climate in which all public sector employees currently work and a problem which is not yet arcnews

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going away.

In my last piece I gave you some predictions about what the future might hold. They were, I admit, a bit bleak. However my festive season was not even over when I had the pleasure of hearing Priti Patel, Exchequer Secretary, tell me via Radio 4 that she would introduce a cap on public sector redundancy pay “to bring some fairness back to the system”! Just in case you forgot, this is the same system that Francis Maude described as a fair settlement for civil servants and for the country only a few years ago. It seems that the civil service is, in the eyes of some people, the gift that just keeps on giving.

It is also now apparent that any mention of the 20:80 ratio has also disappeared. Just in case you have forgotten that too – and many people have, including some in the coalition. The ratio was that the deficit would be cleared 20% by taxation and 80% by public sector and welfare cuts. The Chancellor, when asked the other day about plans to raise VAT, said “I couldn’t have been clearer that our plans do not involve tax increases, including VAT, because our plans involve cutting public expenditure and saving on welfare budgets”. So, in the Chancellor’s own words, the public sector will take all of the strain.

And, in case you think that there

may be a different way on offer from other parties, have you seen the comments from Margaret Hodge in the last week querying whether public sector pay awards have been excessive? All three major political parties are committed to the current spending round until 2017-18 at the earliest. It is clear that there is no let-up coming yet and the public sector cuts are set to continue. The pressure is still on.

Comments like these demonstrate all too clearly why, more than ever, we need a modern progressive union to ensure that we can best protect the interests of our members. There was a time when being a member of a union, any union, was easy – everyone joined on the day they arrived at work. But for the past thirty years successive governments, of all political hues, have one way or another worked to end that norm. I personally do not believe that was a good thing and, given the polarisation that we now see in the society around us, I rather suspect that many people will agree that the balance between employee and employer in the work relationship has swung too far the other way. But neither do I believe in the militant brand of trade unionism which was the author of its own destruction and is ultimately, at least in part, to blame for where we find ourselves today. Be that as it may, the important thing to remember is

>>

11

<<

that trade unionism was borne out of necessity and adversity and I find it difficult to remember a time when we needed a union more.

But there is much more to being a member of a union like ARC than that. We are a modern and progressive union and part of a far wider organisation in the FDA. We are a powerful voice for public services and the people who deliver them.

Public services will continue to change and we recognise that. We believe in engaging with HMRC and we never lose sight of the basic fact that without HMRC as an employer there is no ARC to represent your interests. Solutions to problems can really only be reached through dialogue; they are never reached by posturing. ARC promotes our membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; interests in whatever forum we can, whether that be internally with HMRCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior leaders or externally through our submission to the Chancellor on the Autumn Statement, calling for more resources and better pay and reward for our members.

Things are difficult at the moment but nothing lasts for ever and when the upturn comes we will be ready.

What do you want from ARC? If ever there is a time of year when we should all be asking ourselves that question, then this is it.

Elsewhere in this issue you will see an article from Graham Flew inviting Centres to start considering who to send to our Annual General Meeting. Centres will be beginning the round of spring meetings and drawing up motions for AGM to consider. I know from experience that you will be using those opportunities to tell us precisely what you would like us to do in May. 12

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“ARC resolves to continue making the case that pay gaps are better addressed now rather than waiting until the damage being done to the business becomes a crisis.”

We have now published the results of our members’ survey and elsewhere in this issue Iain Campbell has written at length about what you have told us. Over 800 of you took part to tell us what you think of your union, your jobs and your terms and conditions. You told us that you are proud to be members, that you feel informed, that we respond to your needs and that you are engaged with us, but there no room for us to be complacent. You were pretty neutral when we asked you if you thought that we listened to you. That’s not good enough and so we are working on it. As a first step we have launched our new monthly electronic update which will let you know, more quickly than we have done in the past; who we are seeing, what we are talking about and the progress we are making on delivering on your behalf.

What is striking from our survey is the way that you still cherish the idea of public service, a fact that does not surprise me at all but it does continue to bolster my faith in you and the organisation that we work for. From a distance people may ask themselves why you maintain that spirit in the face of what seems like unrelenting pressure on public servants.

On 10 March I have arranged to bring together representatives of all of our Centres in Birmingham to discuss how we can better organise in our Centres and continue to arcnews

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make ourselves more relevant to our members and to encourage those who have not yet joined us to take the plunge. I hope that each Centre can find a couple of reps to join us there. The important thing for me is to hear from you how we can work together to build the thriving organisation that we need. I want our Centres to be at the very core of our activity, working closer to the source of your issues and helping to represent you better.

There was never a more important time to be a member of ARC and to help us in building our organisation and improving what we do. We are nothing without you. Talk to people, come to Centre meetings, join the debate and help us make the case that HMRC need us and the country needs us.

Building the future is a two way process but one thing is certain. We may not yet know what it looks like but there is a future for us all.

The need to grow

And Finally…

The other major issue that check-off has brought back to the front of my mind is the need for us to recruit.

Our membership now stands at just over 2,400, which is still less than 50% of those eligible to join us and like any responsible organisation we need to know why that is the case and what we can do to improve our density.

Above all else trade unions are about working together and involving people and so I am asking you for your help. The more members we have the stronger and more effective our voice will be. Why not ask yourself the same questions I have asked. Better still why not take just a few minutes out of your day to ask three of your colleagues if they are members and if not why not?

The principal reason why people don’t join unions is because they haven’t been asked.

Committee has had to say goodbye to four hard-working members of our current team. Colin McHardy and Jim Mullen have both moved on to pastures new in other areas of government; a dream move for Colin to Revenue Scotland and a promotion for Jim in the Competition and Markets Commission – congratulations to both. We have also said goodbye to my predecessor, Gareth Hills, and to Karen Austwick. Karen has taken up a challenging new BLM role and Gareth’s role leading the secretariat of the Tax Disputes Resolution Board is an extremely demanding one.

Best wishes and thank you to you all of them. I am sorry to have to lose so many highly influential and effective colleagues at one time but of course the way is now open for new talent to join us. The elections are now under way.

13

MIDDLE MIDDLE

Mark George reflects on his move from activist to leadership.

A Year on Committee

B

y the time this article finds its way to you I’ll have been on Committee for a year. As this was never a planned move it’s turned out to be an unexpectedly hectic, strenuous but amazingly rewarding twelve months.

In fact, I’ve always been somewhat diffident about getting involved at this level. I’ve been an activist for any number of years, particularly closely involved as a personal caseworker. But there’s a world of difference between participating in the ‘human’ side of the union’s work – something I particularly enjoy – and jumping into the tent of central decision-making.

It was actually an even bigger leap than I’d imagined since I ended up being elected into one of the union’s Officer posts and thus assuming a fairly high level of responsibility. It’s been a steep learning curve, one which has sometimes taken me outside of my comfort zone but which has also given a real sense of accomplishment.

The most immediate, and probably the hardest lesson to learn was keeping my gob shut. Or, as it’s more commonly known, ‘behaving in a corporate fashion’.

Sounds ghastly, doesn’t it? Why shouldn’t I say what I think? After all, that was presumably why members voted for me. Yet it really isn’t that simple, honestly.

I’m no firebrand but I’ve always had some pretty trenchant views about what ARC as a union needs 14

to be doing, which areas it ought to be focusing on and what line it should be adopting. I still hold firmly to many of those views. So what’s changed?

Well, for a start, not everyone agrees with me! The point about Committee is that it’s a diverse group of people with a fairly broad range of views across a leftist political spectrum. I’d previously assumed Committee to be a kind of grey monolithic decision-making body, not exactly like the old Soviet Politburo but kind of, well, ‘stodgy’ if you get my meaning. In fact, it’s the opposite.

Committee is, at the same time, lively, intellectual, perceptive, persuasive, slightly anal and, on occasion, mildly bonkers. It’s both divided by differing opinions and absolutely united in its overall approach. And before Tony starts running a censor pen across this article for revealing trade secrets I can honestly say that Committee is a truly professional and dedicated body of activists.

All of this does mean, however, that if Committee reaches a decision I don’t agree with – and this absolutely does happen – I have to learn to live with it. Debate on key issues is always extensive and if an opposing view prevails, then you accept it. That’s democracy, and little purpose is served by moaning after the event. You just have to get on with it.

Sometimes too, I’ve found that, on reflection, other people’s views on a particular issue actually make more sense than my own. Now that is a hard one to admit! Outside the tent, issues have a tendency to appear in fairly clear shades of black and arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

COMMITTEE MIDDLE MIDDLE

white. No need for Committee to mess about on this issue, just get stuck in and sort it out!

Inside the Committee tent, there are many more nuances. Additional facts are known, figures and trends are analysed, a longer-term perspective often prevails and everyone has a slightly different policy ‘take’ on what we should be doing as a union. I’ve found, on occasion, that I’ve attended Committee with a clear view on an issue only to find that my position has unexpectedly shifted during the course of persuasive debate.

The point about all of this, I suppose, is that Committee is absolutely not a monolith at all. It sounds rather pompous and ‘show-offy’ to effectively say ‘Look, it’s different when you’re on Committee because you get to know more stuff ’ but actually…it is different because you do get to know more stuff!

You also get the chance to make a real difference. As a member of Committee you’re entrusted to get involved in those areas which interest you, as well as given autonomy to act and to make clear national decisions without someone breathing down your neck. That’s a refreshing feeling these days and I’ve relished the opportunity.

Yet this level of independence arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

“I’d previously assumed Committee to be a kind of grey monolithic decisionmaking body, not exactly like the old Soviet Politburo but kind of.” also carries a degree of responsibility which, in turn, tempers more extreme impulses. My initial desire to go charging headlong at unwelcome initiatives and unfair policies has dissipated slightly. Not because I’ve given up on my beliefs – quite the contrary. But rather because it soon becomes apparent that the ‘up-and-at-‘em’ approach is usually counter-productive and much more can be achieved by persuasion and dialogue. I guess the older hands on Committee would probably say that this recognition is just a matter of “growing up” – they’re probably right…so long as you never lose sight of why you’re doing this in the first place.

Of course not everything is ‘doable’. If I had a magic ARC wand

I’d wave it and – Shazam! – PMR would be gone! Along with a few other madcap initiatives too! Yet the challenging times in which ARC – and, by inference, ARC Committee -operates also make for a degree of determination and camaraderie.

Being on Committee isn’t an easy option: there isn’t enough facility time to go around and most people end up working at evenings and weekends. Dealing with the employer is not always a straightforward matter and, to be honest, nor is keeping members satisfied! Sometimes it can feel a bit like banging your head against a brick wall.

And in case that sounds like I’m complaining, well I’m not. I’m really grateful to have the opportunity to get involved and to work alongside colleagues who share similar values. There’s a real feeling of a Committee working together to try and achieve the best for members.

Yes, I know…this is beginning to sound like the end-piece where the music swells to a crescendo, the credits roll and arcnews readers become misty-eyed as the camera pans back from another day in the life of ARC’s noble purpose! Let’s just say I’m glad I took the plunge and I’ve truly enjoyed my first year on ARC Committee.

Here’s to Year Two! 15

MIDDLE MIDDLE

Iain Campbell presents the results of the HMRC People Survey, with comments and comparisons with DWP and the result of ARC’s survey of members’ views.

Survey and conquor?

L

ast year I wrote an article called ‘A Tale of Two Committees’ (Public Accounts and House of Lords Economics Sub-Affairs). This year you get a bigger bumper article. Not only is there the by now traditional annual article on the HMRC People Survey, you also get some news on the DWP Survey and on our own ARC Survey of members. Buy one and get two free – not BOF but nearly BOGOF. As is also traditional the news from the HMRC part is unfortunately not really that good, although there are some pockets of encouragement. HMRC remains very near the bottom of the league table of all the organisations surveyed. What continues to be most striking is the disconnection between team-based answers (often good) and HMRC-wide answers (often not so good). For some years I’ve been drawing attention to the fact that this level of disconnection is not seen in other Departments, even those where budgets have been cut, Civil Service Employee Policies on Terms 16

arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

SURVEYS MIDDLE MIDDLE

CHANGE IN STAFF SINCE SPENDING REVIEW 2010 (managed departments, % of full time equivalents)

50 40 30 20 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -40 -50 source: IfG analysis of ONS Public Sector Employment data to Q1 2014 note: Staff under management, adjusted for Machinery of Government changes

RESPONSE

ENGAGEMENT

Culture, Media and Sport

91

60

Communities and Local Government

77

53

Work and Pensions

60

55

Health

69

58

Ministry of Justice

82

58

Defence

51

57

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

87

54

Business and Innovation

81

56

Treasury

89

71

Transport

80

57

Education

95

58

HMRC

53

43

Home Office

69

55

and Conditions and Performance Management introduced, and where there has been significant public criticisms of the organisation (think DWP and Universal Credit).

In response to the 2013 Survey Ruth Owen said: “I think it would be a mistake to simply attribute low engagement scores to these big issues that are outside our control.

To do so would let HMRC’s leaders and managers off the hook.

“As I said in my note, there are some PT teams and many other Government Departments with exactly the same pay and terms and conditions who have very arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

high engagement, so that is why I think it cannot be the determining factor on engagement. Those teams and Departments are clearly doing something different. That confirms to me that there are many other factors at play here, beyond the general issues of concern to many people across the Civil Service (like pay and pensions).”

By way of contrast, the ARC Survey results are no grounds for complacency but they are streets ahead of the other two in terms of positive feedback. (You can read the full results on arc-forum.)

So, as well as summarising the

>> 17

MIDDLE MIDDLE results for all three organisations, I thought it would be helpful to compare them and see if there is anything we can learn.

Some headline results The first number to look at is the rise in the response rate to 53%.

It may be that this is the return of the (slightly) less engaged, hence the drop in the engagement index to 43%. Immediately there is a contrast with DWP, where 60% took part and gave a score of 55%. The ARC participation rate was 35% (854 responses), so much lower but possibly high by the standards of private polls. According to the Cabinet Office across the 101 participating organisations the median response rate rose to 78% from 77% last year, with an overall response rate of 60%.

What is instructive is that

there were a dozen organisations with lower response rates. These included the Ministry of Defence (51%), the Prison Service (44%), Border Force (33%), National Probation Service (29%), and lastly the Land Registry (27%) and Registers of Scotland (25%).

I think it clear that HMRC, and its culture, is somehow significantly different from other Government Departments (OGDs). The chart and table on the previous page show no simple correlation between cuts, participation and engagement.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not possible to provide that sort of themed headline figures for the ARC Survey, although we are working with some professional statisticians to explore that. But we can definitely compare some of the individual questions, such as 51% being proud to be a member of ARC, and only 11.6% disagreeing.

CS DWP BENCHMARK

Response Rate Engagement index My work My line manager Pay and Benefits Learning and Development

18

BUSINESS TAX

ENFORCEBENEFITS MENT AND AND COMPLIANCE CREDITS

43 53 44

39 50 42

50 53 44

41 51 42

56 62 53

2014 59

55

43

40

43

42

52

2013 74 2014 76 2013 67

71

65 64 66

53 63

70

67 66 66

74 72 73

2014 68

71

64

62

60

64

72

25

23

20

39

2013 30 2014 28 2013 47

28

20 47

15 40

19

17 48

33 56

2014 49

53

46

39

50

47

54

70

69

69

76

66

63

66

73

80

77

78

86

Organisational objectives and purpose

2013 82

Leadership and managing change

PERSONAL TAX

60

2013 74

Inclusion and fair treatment

HMRC

2013 n/a 2014 n/a 2013 58

Resources and Workload

My team

(The HMRC comparable question is B50, with only 27% positive and 41% negative.)

DWP outscores HMRC on every measure but, even so, HMRC is generally not far adrift of the CS Benchmark, or even slightly above it. Once again, the double digit differences are in the overall Engagement index, My Work and Leadership and Managing Change.

By comparison neither DWP, or Benefits and Credits, is so adrift.

Indeed, B&C generally matches or exceeds DWP, as well as all the CS Benchmarks, and reaches the CS High Performers benchmark for Leadership and Managing Change, Pay and Benefits, and My Manager. So we clearly need further analysis on other factors, such as grade mix, length of service, geographical concentrations, etc (see table below).

2014 74

73

65

2014 83

85

78

73

78

77

85

2013 79 2014 79 2013 74

83

82 81 71

82 80 66

79

80 80 71

88 88 78

2014 76

76

69

64

50

69

76

29

25

26

46

28

24

25

43

2013 42 2014 43

41

28

arcnews

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SURVEYS MIDDLE MIDDLE

HMRC

DWP

CS Benchmark

The people in my team can be relied upon to help when things get difficult in my job

2013 86

84

84

2014 85

87

84

I am treated with respect by the people I work with

2013 85

86

2014 84 I am trusted to carry out my job effectively

87

2013 83

85

2014 82 I am interested in my work

86

2013 82 87

2013 77 80

2013 77 78

2013 75

Across HMRC people overwhelmingly report positive messages on their work and how they are treated, with results near to or above both DWP and the CS Benchmarks (see table above).

Bad News When it comes to their views on the wider organisation there are other, less positive findings, with people overwhelmingly unhappy about pay and conditions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something shared across the whole Civil Service. (But again B&C reports less negative views, see table below.)

This is echoed in the ARC Survey. 31% of members report that they cannot meet both family and work responsibilities; 51% disagree that their work does not

79

cause unreasonable stress; only 37% agree they can take time off in lieu; and only one-third agree the pace of work in HMRC allows them to do a good job.

One of the declared rationales behind the introduction of the new PMR system was a view that poor performance was not being dealt with properly. Some figures were cited from Staff Surveys to support this view.

The new PMR system is also meant to ensure that HMRC has a fair and open process of evaluating performance. In this context it is interesting to see the answers over the last few years to questions on this and the general closeness to the CS benchmarks, suggesting HMRC was not materially poorer HMRC (2013)

B&C

2013

46

62

2014

43

58

There are opportunities for me to develop my career in HMRC

2013

40

55

2014

42

58

I think it is safe to challenge the way things are done in HMRC

2013

33

51

2014

30

47

2013

23

38

2014

18

32

Compared to people doing a similar job in other organisations I feel my pay is reasonable

79

at managing performance than other parts of the Civil Service (see table on page 20).

Apart from B17 there is not really much sign of PMR having any significant impact on peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s views, possibly because it is relatively new, or possibly because there was no specific question.

But in a very striking fashion the ARC Survey gives a quite different perspective. Many ARC members are involved in this process as managers, or as chairs of validation groups. What are we to make of the response to the ARC question that asked members if they could trust HMRC to apply guided distribution fairly? The answer was that 435 strongly disagreed (51.7%) and 210 disagreed (25%). These results echo concerns raised at

The impact of PMR

I feel involved in the decisions that affect my work

80 78

2014 73

Good News

77 79

2014 75 I am treated fairly at work

90 77

2014 75 My manager is open to my ideas

88 89

2014 81 My manager recognises when I have done my job well

84

DWP

CS Benchmark 54

53

56 42

45

42 38

43

41 25

24

24 >>

arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

19

MIDDLE MIDDLE

AGREE

DISAGREE

63 70 69

18 16 16

54 61 59

16 15 18

60 61 57

16 18 22

36 41 39

27 22 24

CS BENCHMARK

DWP AGREE

CS BENCHMARK

78

63 64 72

68 68 72

69

60 60 61

63 65 68

65

62 63 63

67 67 67

50

37 39 41

41 42 43

(high performers)

B15 I receive regular feedback on my performance 2012 2013 2014 B16 The feedback I receive helps me to improve my performance 2012 2013 2014 B17 I think that my performance is evaluated fairly 2012 2013 2014 B18 Poor performance is Dealt with effectively in my team 2012 2013 2014

Centre meetings and seem to show that far from helping achieve its aims on Performance Management HMRC may be going backwards.

The Department is fully aware of our Survey results and is engaged in talks with ARC on their meaning, especially in this critical area.

ARC Survey As noted above the views on PMR are one of the most striking findings in our Survey. Possibly equally striking, but less obvious, are the ones on how long members want to remain working for HMRC. In the HMRC People Survey 13% of HMRC staff want to leave as soon as possible; it is 26 % in the ARC Survey.

Equally interesting are some of the data on members’ personal lives which should make us reflect on what we expect of colleagues.

23% look after or give help to someone with problems related to 20

old age; 27% have primary childcare responsibilities; and 12% have a long-term illness, health or mental health condition that limits their daily activity or work they can do.

Despite all of the above, and despite their views on HMRC’s ability to manage change, 28% are proud to tell others they work for HMRC and 46% feel personally driven to help HMRC succeed, going beyond what’s expected of them in order to make that happen.

Members’ views of ARC Although sometimes critical, they are generally supportive of ARC (51% are proud to be members), believe it shares information (73.7%), responds to their needs (32.8%), and that local Centres do a good job of engaging with them (49.2%). Nearly half would recommend ARC as a great union to join (43.5%), compared to 23% in the People Survey

recommending HMRC as a great place to work.

Long-term trends in HMRC The following tables are a complete history of the answers to these questions since the Surveys began. Whist HMRC is not at the nadir of 2010, it is certainly a long, long way from the golden years of 2005.

HMRC Responses We know that managers all the way up to ExCom, and possibly people outside HMRC as well, will be poring over the entrails, crunching the numbers and looking for patterns or underlying issues. Now we are hearing about Own To Act. Paul Gerrard wrote to staff in E&C (19 December), telling them that it was going to run a total of about 300 workshops from January. These will be to help understand what the Survey means and coming up with actions arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

SURVEYS MIDDLE MIDDLE I FEEL THAT CHANGE IS MANAGED WELL IN THIS DEPARTMENT (B45) STRONGLY AGREE

AGREE

NEITHER

DISAGREE

STRONGLY DISAGREE

May 2005

1

15

29

37

19

Nov 2005

-

13

27

60

-

May 2006

1

17

24

40

18

Nov 2006

1

11

23

35

30

May 2007

1

11

27

36

25

Nov 2007

1

9

20

38

33

NEITHER

NEGATIVE

POSITIVE May 2009

11

20

70

STRONGLY AGREE

AGREE

NEITHER

DISAGREE

STRONGLY DISAGREE

Nov 2009

1

11

21

37

30

Autumn 2010

1

10

19

38

32

Autumn 2011

1

14

22

37

25

Autumn 2012

2

15

23

38

23

Autumn 2013

2

18

23

36

21

Autumn 2014

1

18

22

37

22

I AM PROUD TO WORK FOR THIS DEPARTMENT STRONGLY AGREE

AGREE

NEITHER

DISAGREE

STRONGLY DISAGREE

May 2005

6

37

36

17

4

Nov 2005

-

40

36

24

-

May 2006

5

37

38

16

4

Nov 2006

6

30

34

21

9

May 2007

5

34

38

17

5

Nov 2007

4

28

35

24

10

NEITHER

NEGATIVE

POSITIVE May 2009

25

38

37

STRONGLY AGREE

AGREE

NEITHER

DISAGREE

STRONGLY DISAGREE

Nov 2009

2

16

34

28

20

Autumn 2010

1

13

29

30

27

Autumn 2011

4

18

32

28

19

Autumn 2012

4

19

33

27

17

Autumn 2013

5

23

32

25

15

Autumn 2014

5

22

32

25

16

to address the issues. He said this was a significant investment, showing how seriously the results were taken, and helping to influence the culture.

We all know the supertanker analogy, where changes take a long time to show up on the radar.

So the impact of these kinds of initiatives may take time to show up in results. But I’ve seen Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips, where arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

some negative information took time to show up on the radar, so it’s equally possible that there could be opposite effects. For instance, the reasonable scores on B17 (my performance is evaluated fairly ) are 57% positive and 22% negative.

These numbers are challenged by the ARC Survey, and could still be at risk because of the operation of Performance Management.

ARC obviously supports attempts to improve engagement (not from the perspective of getting the numbers up but at getting to the heart of the underlying causes of low scores). But I have a feeling that Own To Act could well be seen as an example of HMRC trying a top down “big initiative” (after all, what is Pacesetter for if not to allow staff to address their local issues

>> 21

MIDDLE MIDDLE

and resolve them, or the McLeod Enablers). Clearly ARC and its members do not want to perpetuate low engagement but is it realistic to think local workshops offer a structural solution? Indeed, they may even exacerbate problems by raising false expectations. How, for example, will they fit with Building Our Future with its messages that much is uncertain but that the broad lines of travel have already been set?

The theme with the largest impact on engagement is Leadership and Managing Change, neither of which seems to fit comfortably into local workshops within Directorates.

Another significant theme is Pay and Benefits, which is most certainly outside the control of even Directorates. Personal Tax and Enforcement and Compliance make up about two-thirds of the Department. Only 15% and 18% had positive views on their pay and benefits, and 72% and 68% had negative views, with strong disagreement from 37% and 34%.

With the apparent certainty of limited pay awards how could Own To Act have any positive impact 22

on that driver of engagement?

Own To Act is clearly relevant to things that people in HMRC can change or influence; it cannot change government policy or pay. So, any impact it has on engagement may not show up in any index, although it may impact some individual scores.

ARC members and engagement The big question continues to be why HMRC falls so far short in the key area of leadership and managing change? This is the theme where HMRC falls behind the most, 15% below a relatively low CS Benchmark of only 43%.

Other questions show that almost half or more of the staff report negative views:

66%

believe that, compared to people doing a similar job in other organisations, their pay is not reasonable

52%

do not think they have the opportunity

to contribute their views before decisions are made that affect them.

50%

do not believe HMRC as a whole is managed well.

47%

do not believe that senior managers in HMRC will take action on the results from this survey.

How much of this is down to poor leadership at senior grades? It is worth repeating what I write each year – “Oh, would some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as others see us.”

ARC members cannot really hold themselves apart from this general advice. The nature of HMRC’s work, including its compliance function, may create a different culture and require a proportionately higher ratio of G7, G6 and SCS than other Departments. For a lot of people in HMRC the senior staff that they distrust, who do not seek their views, and who they think cannot manage change, could be you, me and other ARC members at G7, G6 and in the SCS. arcnews

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SURVEYS MIDDLE MIDDLE

But are ARC members failing to act as leaders? If so, are there any reasons we can address? From the more detailed reviews of the Survey scores it is clear that engagement levels rise with grades, especially into the SCS, going against the trend that length of service to some extent erodes engagement. Most ARC members believe in the work they do, are trusted by the staff they line manage, have helped bring in significant additional yields, and led the delivery of successive change plans. (Recall that 82% agree “I am trusted to carry out my job effectively,” 75% on “My manager recognises when I have done my job well”, and 75% on “My manager is open to my ideas”.) We should not forget that HMRC’s performance has improved year on year, regardless of the Survey scores. Lin Homer thanked staff in her 2014 Christmas message: “Looking back over 2014, it’s been (as ever) an incredibly busy 12 months.

“Thanks to your skill, dedication and hard work, once again we’ve achieved on a truly impressive scale – setting records in tax and compliance revenues, which means even more arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

funds for the UK’s public services at a time when the country needs to make good use of every penny.

“And we’ve continued trying to improve the customer service we give, although we all know there is a way to go still. Nonetheless, with everybody’s help, this year’s tax credit peak was transformationally better than 2013/2014 and our new services, whether new telephony or new arrangements for debt, SMEs or vulnerable individuals, have all begun to make a difference.

“Looking ahead to next year, I have no doubt that we’ll continue to fulfil our vital role and to strive to improve and develop our skills and services.”

Consultation ARC does not claim a monopoly on views on the causes of our poor results.

But there is now evidence of frustration and a lack of trust by some ARC members. It is shown very clearly by some of the answers to the ARC Survey. We should recall the answers on PMR, and those summarised earlier “31% of members report that they cannot meet both family and work responsibilities; 51% disagree that their work

does not cause unreasonable stress; only 37% agree they can take time off in lieu; and only one-third agree the pace of work in HMRC allows them to do a good job”. I think it demonstrates our members’ professionalism and commitment that we also have the answer that “46% feel personally driven to help HMRC succeed, going beyond what’s expected of them in order to make that happen.”

The solutions to increasing the level of engagement by ARC members do not lie entirely in their hands. In ARC’s view it also lies with the Department continuing to consult with TUs. This recognises that ARC members are the Department’s senior leaders and managers, with substantial experience and views, who want to deliver business objectives. It is in nobody’s interests to work in an organisation with the kinds of low scores the Survey reveals! arcnews would be only too happy to hear what members think on these issues and how we might improve.

You don’t even have to use up those scarce trees, just email arcnewseditor@gmail.com 23

LAST

Mark George reports on the increasing numbers of members seeking ARC’s assistance on a personal level.

Personal Casework Update

I

think most readers of arcnews are aware that personal casework is a booming part of union business. I’ve said before that our volunteer caseworkers are kept increasingly busy by members’ issues and this trend has certainly become more pronounced since the advent of PMR. There used to be a time – not that long ago – when ARC would have an average of 30-35 working member cases at any given time. Those days appear to be gone, although hopefully not for good. The growing workload of member issues is such that we’ve now started to keep increasingly detailed records of numbers so that we can identify trends, carry out some analysis and look towards long-term solutions.

Of course a lot of what follows is hardly rocket science and readers who follow the latest employment policies and developments are unlikely to be falling off their chairs in amazement. Nonetheless, it’s sometimes worth stating the obvious, if only so that the bald facts are out in the open and ARC members know exactly where the union stands.

The Numbers So what are the figures? As at 24

1 April 2014 ARC had 84 working personal cases. So that we’re clear, these are the union’s more complex cases which specifically require the allocation of a Personal Caseworker to assist the member with their issue(s).

In the eight-month period from 1 April to 30 November 2014 we’ve taken on a further 102 cases, at a rate of almost 13 per month.

Again, these are our more difficult cases which require the allocation of a Personal Caseworker.

During this same period we’ve settled 106 cases, leaving us with a balance of 80 working cases as at 30 November 2014. Given the continually varying and somewhat uncertain nature of our Personal Caseworker volunteer list – our caseworkers are busy people with day jobs and private lives in addition to their impressive ARC commitment – this equates, at any given point in time, to at least two cases per available caseworker.

It’s probably also worth making the point that, at all times, we have a small “hard core” group of long-running cases on our books.

These cases use up a large amount of scarce caseworker resource and, despite our best efforts, are frequently difficult to settle. As you

would expect, they place a significant strain on ARC’s facility time.

However, these figures, significant enough in themselves, don’t tell the whole story. PMR is without doubt the top member issue – certainly in terms of numbers – and our resource position simply doesn’t allow us to allocate personal caseworkers to every member who comes to us with a PMR complaint.

So this specific work – and many other lesser member issues – are largely picked up by me and Graham Flew on an ad hoc basis.

The aim has been to effectively triage enquiries with a view to swift(er) informal resolution without the need to allocate caseworkers. In this we have, I think, been largely successful albeit at the cost of extensive use of time.

As an example of the work involved, my own personal records indicate that, in a seven-month period to 30 November 2014, I dealt with 102 member interventions. These can vary from pretty much a minimum of a couple of hours’ worth of telephone advice to more prolonged assistance over an extended period spent reviewing documents, redrafting formal approaches and assisting with difficult decisions. arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

CASEWORK LAST

“What this all means, in summary, is that member issues continue to surge and ARC is working hard to hold the line.”

It’s worth emphasising that these interventions on member issues are in addition to personal cases. If they weren’t fielded effectively then they would, in the majority of instances, become personal cases and quite simply ARC would be swamped. So there’s no obvious alternative other than to deal with them as swiftly and pragmatically as possible.

What this all means, in summary, is that member issues continue to surge and ARC is working hard to hold the line.

The Trends The most obvious trend apparent from our figures is, unsurprisingly, that member cases are at an unprecedentedly high level. It wasn’t that long ago when a national working case-load of 35 personal cases was considered high: such a low level now seems inconceivable. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to suggest either that our current workload must inevitably represent a higher percentage of ARC members reporting issues to us. Just to be clear: we don’t see the same people coming to us time after time. In fact ‘repeat business’ is fairly rare.

Most new approaches are precisely that: new issues from members we haven’t previously spoken to.

PMR-related issues undoubtedly lead the way in terms of numbers.

Member requests for assistance peak at those times of year that you would reasonably expect: November for the indicative mid-year markings and May/June for the year-end markings and subsequent appeals.

There’s no reason at all to doubt that this will continue going forward.

We’ve also seen a smaller but nonetheless unwelcome growth at the ‘top end’ of our more serious personal cases: those with an involvement of Internal Governance and allegations of gross misconduct. These are not yet at levels arcnews

FEB/MAR 2015: ISSUE 75

which cause grave concern but they are significant enough for us to have taken proactive steps to talk to the employer with a view to understanding more about the background and drivers to this trend.

The Solutions Following on from ARC’s re-engagement with the employer we’ve started a process of opening up lines of communication on personal casework issues. We hope that this will offer us the opportunity to discuss high-level casework issues on an informal basis, as well as try and cut through unnecessary processes on problematic cases with a view to achieving pragmatic outcomes of mutual benefit.

As a union we keep close tabs on our most significant personal cases and our door is always open to the employer to discuss ways of resolving matters. Whilst this informal approach offers no guarantees it’s nonetheless a welcome development and may assist in clearing a log-jam on some of our most difficult cases.

As I write this other personal casework-related discussions are also underway with the employer with a view to closer cooperation.

Although I can’t really comment in any more detail at this stage it’s probably fair to say that the growth in personal casework is not simply an ARC concern. For an employer openly seeking to promote staff engagement there must necessarily be a strong interest in reducing the level of complaints and general dissatisfaction at senior levels.

Of course these are still early days but I strongly welcome this trend. Speaking personally, I’m firmly of the view that PMR remains both a major cause of member concern and a significant blocker to staff engagement but if ARC is to focus on what is pragmatically “doable” then we should be looking to

actively engage with the employer in the personal casework arena for the sake of our members.

The Future I wish I could say that the future’s so bright that you gotta wear shades but unfortunately… the growth in member issues relating to PMR shows no signs of abating. It seems reasonable to expect that April/ May 2015 is likely to provide a further pinch-point in terms of member demand outstripping the personal caseworker resource which ARC can reasonably offer. Whilst we’re always keen to recruit and train new personal caseworkers we’re already reflecting on what arrangements might be put in place to deal with the expected surge. Without wishing to make myself a hostage to fortune I’m hopeful that by the time this article appears we will have made a few decisions in this respect.

I’m conscious of the fact that, although I’ve tried to simply ‘tell it how it is’, this article hardly seems to have panned out as a good news story! In many ways, personal casework is never going to be a warm, cuddly tale simply because ARC’s need to provide this support is founded on members’ concerns and dissatisfaction. All I can say is that ARC remains fully committed to providing you, as members, with the assistance you hopefully will never need – it’s part of the reason you pay your subs – and we will continue to do all that we can to help whenever we are called upon.

If readers have any suggestions of ARC approaches or initiatives which might be taken to deal with the growth of member cases in general, and PMR issues in particular, I’d be very pleased to hear them. Volunteers to act as personal caseworkers would be even more welcome! Drop me a line at markgeorge37@hotmail.com 25

SCS: Eugene Mitchell describes the SCS pay and appraisal systems.

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Carrots, sticks and caps Cabinet Office guidelines published annually.

There are around 3,900 SCS members employed in 55 government departments and agencies across the UK, of which approximately 320 are in HMRC. At 30 April 2014 69% of HMRC’s SCS members were based in London.

Being a Cabinet Office corporate resource means that pay and conditions are matters dealt with directly by the FDA with Cabinet Office, and not by ARC with HMRC. The FDA is a very active contributor to the Senior Salaries Review Body.

Pay system

T

his article is a response to questions about how the SCS pay system and relative appraisal system works, so this is really about transparency and greater understanding. But first, a health warning on transparency. As a disgruntled fellow SCS member complained to me when he was asking about the process for awarding performance bonuses to SCS folk, “there’s xxxall transparency”.

So what is the SCS? SCS is a Cabinet Office corporate resource employed within a common framework of terms and conditions. HMRC operate the pay and performance management framework in line with the principles determined

by Cabinet Office. The HMRC Performance Management Guidance, published on the intranet, is derived from Cabinet Office guidelines while SCS pay is based on the Senior Salaries Review Body’s report on senior salaries, and 26

The SCS structure is based on simple broad bands, under-pinned by a tailored job evaluation scheme which provides a way to compare the relative value of jobs within and across government departments.

Most departments, including HMRC, use the following three core SCS pay bands: Pay band 1 (SCS1) deputy director Pay band 2 (SCS2) director Pay band 3 (SCS3) director general In addition to, and above the three core pay bands, each department has a permanent secretary, or in HMRC’s case two permanent secretaries.

ExCom and the SCS governance group facilitate talent management and succession planning across the SCS. Responsibility for succession planning and vacancy filling decisions lies with ExCom for Tier 3 and with the governance group for Tier 4 and 5 SCS posts. The Governance Group is chaired by William Hague, the Chief People Officer, and includes HR Directors and Directors from across the business.

The current SCS pay bands are: Pay Band

Minimum

Maximum

SCS1 National

£62,000

£117,800

SCS1 London

£65,500

£117,800

SCS2

£85,000

£162,500

SCS3

£104,000

£208,100

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Performance management Following the three year SCS pay freeze the Government restricted pay awards to an average of 1% from 2013 to 2015. Therefore in HMRC SCS pay awards remain capped at 1% of the SCS pay bill, although the Department has discretion on how the award is implemented.

Just as with the performance year 2012/13 the Main Pay Committee decided to allocate pay base awards only to Top and Achieving performers whose pay fell below the median pay for the pay band, capping at the median: SCS1 National: £74,058 SCS1 London: £80,022 SCS2: £97,341 The pay awards made in July 2014 were as follows: Grade

Top Achieving

SCS1

£2,500

SCS2

£3,000 £2,000

On or above median £0

£1,100 £0

In addition performance awards were made to those graded Top as follows: SCS1: £9,500 SCS2: £12,500 SCS3: not to exceed the Cabinet

Office limit of £17,000 The effect of this for SCS members who are above the median and have achieved for the last couple of years is that they are currently paid the same salary as they were in 2009 – and of course like everyone they pay much increased pension contributions.

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For the last few years in the SCS there have been three performance groups and the required distributions for 2014/15 are the same as previously.

As with everyone else in HMRC performance must be assessed by taking account Performance Group % of staff Top

Top 25%

Achieving

Next 65%

Low

Bottom 10%

of both ‘what’ has been achieved, and ‘how’ it has been achieved. Thus within each SCS member’s individual performance agreement there are objectives related to business delivery, finance/efficiency, people/ capability and corporate contribution.

Performance is assessed not just on delivery of objectives but also on how the behaviours in the Leadership Model and the Civil Service Competency Framework were demonstrated including how people and financial resources were managed. In addition there is a contractual duty to observe the Civil Service Code, and as leaders SCS members are expected to exemplify these values.

For 2013/14 the actual distribution across the performance groups was: Performance Pay Band Group SCS1 SCS2/3*

Grand Total

Top

25% 24% 25%

Achieving

63%

67%

63%

Low

12%

9%

12%

100%

100%

Grand Total 100%

A lot of the information for this article is drawn from the intranet pages where there is more information available.

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LAST

Paula Houghton outlines how you can make your union stronger and more effective.

Membership issues

O

ne of the key things any member-led organisation needs to do is recruit and retain members. ARC currently has a membership density around the 50% mark, which means that the people eligible to join who haven’t yet signed up roughly equal those who have. One of the things I need to understand, as the Committee lead for recruitment and organisation, is why?

TUC research tells us that the most common reason why people don’t join a union is because they haven’t been asked; others are cost, ideology and culture. So what can we do about it? The issue clearly needs to be addressed; in consultations with the employer we have far more influence if we represent a majority of employees at our grades than if we slip below the 50% membership and become a minority voice. The first thing we can all do is get up and talk to our colleagues. Talk about why you joined, why you remain a member and what value ARC adds to workplace negotiations and outcomes. Find out which of your colleagues are not members and why; you might not change their minds immediately but there will be a number out there who fall into the first category of “never been asked” and would appreciate the discussion and opportunity to find out about ARC and the wider FDA. The other thing you can do is get in touch.

Speak to your Centre officials about the issues which impact your daily working life, large and small, and ask them to pass that information to your Committee rep so that we are fully informed about what is happening across the breadth of our membership. Of course all of Committee are HMRC employees, facing the same triumphs and difficulties as you are, but the opinion of 2,000 members is easier to present to an intransigent employer 28

than the opinion of 24 Committee members.

The Careers not Quotas mailbox has received no new traffic since around July last year but I am sure there are career issues, progression/promotion questions and of course PMR is a constant source of irritation for many of us, either as recipients of unexpected markings or as managers burdened with implementing the system. If you have anything you want to tell us, evidence you want to submit or questions you want to ask then please use the mailbox at careersnotquotas@fda.org.uk AGM 2014 passed a motion on communications with Committee. We have started to make some changes to address the issues raised in that debate, ensuring that every Centre has a Committee Liaison Officer (CLO) who is tasked with speaking to your Centre officials before and after Committee meetings and reporting the views of the Centre back to Committee. Please make use of the system to let us know what you think are the issues we should be tackling and why. Of course we are always working on the so called “big ticket” items such as pay and terms and conditions but what are the local issues, irritations and daily grumblings which impact on our daily working lives? What can be done about them and how? Again, let your Centre reps know or get in touch directly with your CLO who will always be happy to hear from you and gain that wider perspective on what is happening on the ground with our members.

Following on from that we need everyone to make sure they know who their Centre reps are and that they are all in the right Centre.

The move to Regional post rooms has caused some anomalies for members who only supply the union with a work postal address. FDA Head Office has to allocate them to a Centre based on the address given and this results arcnews

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“Talk about why you joined.

Keep in touch with ARC. Know your Centre Reps.

Find those who’ve ‘never been asked’ ...and make sure we have your email address”

in huge numbers of members appearing in Centres where the post rooms are based. The easiest way to address this is to give your home address (this is easily updated via the FDA website or by emailing membership services at FDA) but if you don’t want to do this then please contact your local Centre Rep to see if you are in the right Centre (they all have access to a list of members for their Centre via the FDA website) and then arcnews

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email membership services to let them know if you are not on the right list. This helps Committee and your Centre Reps to communicate with you more appropriately and to target any location-specific information to the right people.

The final thing I’m going to ask you to do this month is to check that we have an email address for you; lots of our communication in the digital age is via email – ARC Updates, bulletins and the recent

membership survey all relied on us having an email address to contact you. Many members have expressed a desire for more of our communication to be electronic but we can’t do this if we don’t have a current email address for you.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions about organising and recruiting then please get in touch, paula@fda.org.uk or find me on the GAL. I’m always happy to hear from any of you!

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Emma Stearman chose HMRC over one of the Big Four. Here’s the story so far.

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A private sector defector’s story

I

began my career following a year’s travelling upon completion of university, joining the corporation tax graduate scheme at Deloitte in Birmingham in September 2008. I moved to the Newcastle office in 2010, spent a year in commuting weekly to the London office and finally I was working a split week between Newcastle and Leeds. It is safe to say I took every opportunity available and in the space of five years I had gained my ACA, CTA and that all-important ‘Manager’ title. I had a laptop, a Blackberry and a social life full of ‘networking’ events – there was no ‘off’ button. Like most that join the Big Four, I always knew that one day I would leave, although I thought it would be for industry…

Prior to stumbling upon the advert for HMRC I had applied for two tax roles in industry (the only two in Newcastle in the year I had been searching) and after getting through numerous rounds of interviews, was beaten at final selection by more experienced tax professionals.

I still think HMRC is a bit of an enigma to those in the private sector; the tax inspector dressed in the grey suit (with the obligatory briefcase) who sits writing letters, drinking tea and clock watching for that 4pm finish.

I had worn a grey suit, had a nice bag and whilst not being a fan of tea, I felt I could certainly do with some earlier finishes!

I had my hesitations applying as it was viewed as a move for those not career driven (i.e. not motivated by money) and the only people I had ever met from HMRC were those that had left for unfavourable reasons!

After a challenging recruitment process, I joined HMRC in September 2013 in L&C Newcastle with an open mind – anything was going to be an improvement on how draining my current job was.

The team I joined, both young and mature, 30

were very welcoming – a real surprise. But perhaps more surprising was the breadth of work I was involved with across a variety of groups.

In professional practice, the more high profile work was always saved for the senior members of the team; so the most I had been involved with was research and drafting letters; I would never have been invited to any high profile meetings. It was astonishing to learn the length of service of members of my HMRC team. It was so unusual to hear of people working with just one organisation for their whole lives!

Needless to say the work, the people and the atmosphere by comparison was a delight.

The risk assessment process is of course tedious at times, but then again in practice so too was the compliance cycle. There was still the admin to do, although arguably easier now; CRMM and enquiry notices versus engagement letters and the billing cycle.

What is fantastic are the potential opportunities offered to HMRC employees to move around and work in different areas of the department. I do think more could be done to make it easier for those based outside of London to ‘get involved’ – but I am no stranger to travelling!

Even whilst pay is (effectively) frozen during this time of austerity and the job’s benefits continue to be eroded, the work/life balance I now have does not compare. You can put a price on being able to switch off and enjoy your evenings and weekends; and go on holiday without fearing the repercussions of not checking your emails whilst away.

I see HMRC beginning to show real progress with its technology rollout. Whilst our customercentric model justifies the expense of laptops and Blackberries for many staff; their use in non-work time should be encouraged with caution. After all; everyone has a price arcnews

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Buzz Word Search solution

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31

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