WINNING THE Navy News JOBS BllTT|.E MARCH, 1977 5p
Since the manpower cuts imposed by the I974 Defence Review, the Admiralty Board have been fighting to avoid Royal Navy rating redundancies and have now had to call on reinforcements in order to keep in the winning side.
Will pay
The I974 Review ordered that the R.N. should he rcdtlcctl I0 74.000 (Officers. ratings. Wrens. nurses. and Royal Marines) by I979, the :ts‘ses'.sment at the time being that the reqttirement cottld be achieved by natural wastage, curtailment of recruiting. and if neces‘s‘:try some restmction on extended rating service (“fifth and sixth fives"). Sums have a habit of being upset. however. by unpredictables, the most significant being that the Service retention rate has now improved cnnrmously. For every sis men leaving the Service previously. there are now only four an admirable state of affairs in ensuring professionalism at reduced training cost, but a difficulty at a time when numbers have to be brought down. Fortunately for the Navy. the redttndancy danger zone is only marginal. but the Management will pull out every stop in an elTort to avoid any rating being pushed over the line.
hopes
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lfifls? .-\|thouglt no official
recotnntv..‘ntl:ttion had been made. at the time of going to press. to the Prime .\1inis'ter by the .-\rn1ed Forces Pay Review liody. figures are available for anyone to work out what is likely to happen on or around April I.
Succe.-as in the fight for jobs would mean that every man who wished to complete his time for pension would have the opportunity to do so. any sacrifices being outside that basic need. Three official announcements are being made Dcl (RN) ll?-I I4/77 setting out the ways in which the screws have had to be tightened. and the reasons for doing so. —
The ('ommons has been told that "no group has broken the pay guidelines agreed between the Trades llnion ('ongress and the ('-osernrnent." and the Services can make up their own minds whether they believe in any likelihood of special treatment. The guidelines‘ for April I indicate an incre:ts'e of five per cent individual‘s total on an earnings. with a cash minimum ol' £250 a week. and an upper inasitnurn of {-8. Thus_ in the Na\ y. all forms of additional pay would be taken into account to assess the estent of each indi\itlual's rise (or earnings supplement as it is calledt. but it has to
(Continued in Page 48)
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be pointed out that the five per cent. is not an entitlement, but "a masimtnn within which negotiations will take place "
.-Nccortling to these guidelines.
there would be no chance for the \l:u-_v to improve. for instance. the rules concerning separation pay or free travel warrants ——' or any other non-wage benefits ‘Since it will also be remembered that a pay review brings in tr:tin a charges review. the final "pound in the pocket" could look rather small. and at the lowest scales could be more of a hole
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’Families afloat’ plan for Review
Special arrangements are being made for naval families to watch the Queen review the Fleet at Spithead on June 28. The luckiest will be guests aboard the warships as H.-M.Y. Britannia stearns through the lines. Her \lajes'ty has given approval for each ship ‘Willi! l‘5|*Cd 0" l‘ l“ 3" P’-‘F '-1"“ “f ="‘ml"l'~'m¢‘"l"' in the Review to invite family guests, the allocation
having one guest each.
The fainilies of the Britannia and H..Vl.S. Sheffield. who will be unable to go on board for the occasion. will be looked after by another ship itt the Resicw Those unsuccessful in getting a place at sea will have a good vantage point on shore because the Flag Officer Portsmouth has made an arrangement with the Army for the use of Browndown Range. Gosport. These viewing facilities will be available for the use ol' naval widows and e\-s'ervit:e associations. as well as naval and .\1inistry of Defence civilian personnel and their families’, and affiliated
organizations.
Service and 31.00. civilian personnel. affiliated organizations. and association‘ will be informed of details in due course through the usual channels. (Continued in Page 37)
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