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21st May, 2004 Circular Letter No: F39/04

Chief Executive Officer

of the Vocational Education Committee

named in the address.

Re: Craftworkers Parallel Benchmarking / Analogue Review

Dear Chief Executive Officer,

I am directed by the Minister for Education and Science to refer to the Parallel Benchmarking / Analogue Review agreement concluded between Vocational Education Committees and the Craft Group of Unions, and to convey the approval of the Minister for the payment of the following revised pay rates, attached herewith, and tool allowance to Craftpersons employed in your scheme. The analogue review was carried out in parallel to the work of the Public Service Benchmarking Body and is to be implemented in accordance with the terms of the Social Partnership Agreement, Sustaining Progress. This Circular Letter has been published on the Web and may be accessed at www.education.ie.

Revision of Pay

  1. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, basic rates of pay may be increased by payment of the first phase of the increase arising from this agreement, with effect from 1stDecember 2001. In this regard, to facilitate early payment approval is conveyed for the payment by 20th May 2004 or the earliest practical pay date thereafter of either the full arrears or a downpayment of €2,000 (or pro-rata).
  1. The basic pay rates resulting from the application of the increase of 4%, due under the PPF with effect from 1 October 2002, are also adjusted to take account of the increase provided for in paragraph 1.
  1. The 1% lump sum, paid in April 2002, which was part of the adjustment to the PPF in December 2000, should not be adjusted on foot of the benchmarking increase.
  1. The revised salary scales, as appropriate, are set out in the schedule attached to this Circular Letter.

5.Craft workers’ Tool Allowance: In addition to the pay increase, outlined above, an annual tool allowance of €888 has been agreed, to be implemented on the same phased basis as the pay award. The allowance is to be paid by way of a single payment in December each year. The amount payable for the period 1 December 2001 to 31 December 2003 is €462.50. The allowance is non-pensionable and is not subject to general pay rounds.

Future benchmarking increases

  1. Further payments viz. 3% under Sustaining Progress and 50% of the recommended increase under the Craft Parallel Benchmarking agreement due to be paid with effect from 1 January 2004, will be approved when action plans are drawn up to incorporate the Modernisation/Change agenda and progress on these has been verified and approved by the Education Service Performance Verification Group (ESPVG).

Part time staff

6.The pay of part-time staff may be revised, in accordance with the normal arrangements, by reference to the pay of wholetime staff to which they are related for pay purposes.

Pensions

7.Pensions in the course of payment on 30th November, 2001 in respect of retired Craftperson staff may be adjusted in the normal way, by reference to the revised salary scales, as appropriate, (excluding the tool allowance) set out in the schedule.

Cost of Increase

8.In accordance with your VEC’s budget letter, adjustments will be made, where appropriate, to your schemes pay allocation on receipt of the following pay cost information.

Pay Headings

/ Arrears 1/12/01 – 31/12/03 / Current Year 1/1/04 – 31/12/04 /

Total

Total

9.Please provide a copy of this Circular Letter to staff members, as appropriate, in the normal way.

10.Any queries regarding the implementation of this Circular Letter, at VEC level, should be addressed to the Post Primary Administration office in Tullamore. (Tel: 0506-25406, Fax: 0506-25347).

J. Kelly

Post Primary.

e-mail:

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