The Ministry of Defence has recently issued its audit of performance management pay covering the financial year 2011 – 2012. Analysis of this report, our union believes, confirms that the Ministry of Defence operates a discriminatory system, as it demonstrates a consistently worsening position since the introduction of the current bonus scheme.
The DASA report highlighted the percentages of enhanced awards received, distributed by TLB, grade, length of service, Government Office Region, and diversity groups (gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and age) and showed statistically significant differences:
- By TLB. Of the non-industrial staff who received an award, the percentage who received enhanced awards ranged from 8% for DE&S staff to 29% for Air Command. When tested, there was a statistically significant difference between the percentages of enhanced awards amongst the various TLBs.
- By Grade Analysis. Of those who received an award, band B1s received the highest proportion of enhanced awards (21%) with E2s receiving the lowest proportion (10%). For staff awarded an enhanced award the differences between the allocation among grades were found to be statistically significant.
- Gender. Of those who received an award, females received a higher percentage of enhanced awards than their male colleagues. When tested, the differences for were found to be statistically significant.
- Ethnicity. Of those staff who received an award, proportionally fewer self-declared black and minority ethnic (BME) personnel received enhanced awards than their colleagues. When tested, the differences across all the groups that declared their ethnicity were found to be statistically significant.
- Disability. Of those who received an award, a lower percentage of staff with a self-declared disability received enhanced awards than their non-disabled colleagues.
- Sexual Orientation. Of those who received an award, lesbian, gay and bisexual staff received a lower percentage of enhanced awards than staff who declared themselves as heterosexual. When tested, the differences across all those groups who declared their sexual orientation were found to be statistically significant.
- Age. Of those who received an award, staff aged over 60 had the highest proportion of enhanced awards with staff under 30 having the lowest percentages. When tested, the differences between age groups for enhanced awards were statistically significant.
- Region. Of those who received an award, staff in Eastern and East Midlands had the highest proportion of enhanced awards (both 24%) with the North West (6%) and the South West (10%) having the lowest. When tested, the differences across all the Government Office regions were found to be statistically significant.
- Length of Service in the MoD. Of those who received an award, staff with less than 25 years service had higher proportions of enhanced awards than staff with over 25 years service. When tested, the differences between LOS groups for enhanced awards were found to be statistically significant.
The report only tested differences between those receiving a basic award and those receiving an enhanced award. We have no doubt that if the analysis had been extended to include those who did not receive an award at all it would show similar discrimination had occurred.
Our union understands that in recent years very few middle management (and none at B1 or B2) have been subject to restoring efficiency for inefficiency procedures and therefore all have been performing satisfactorily and thus have received at least some award. Under the new imposed performance management arrangements, every grade will have to find a bottom 5%, even if all at that grade are performing satisfactorily or better.
Given that the DASA audits have shown a growing trend of discriminatory award patterns over a number of years, our union believes that this is sufficient evidence to conclude that the MoD is running a discriminatory performance award system that no modern employer would countenance.
Why should this bother me?
The department has imposed their new performance management system, designed to force mark 5% of its staff as ‘requiring improvement’ and under threat of dismissal whilst subjectively rewarding up to the top 25% of the workforce with a bonus, based on a reporting mechanism that has been consistently demonstrated to discriminate against large numbers of its own workforce.
Our union has repeatedly asked how the Ministry of Defence will fulfil its Public Sector equality duty, to promote equal treatment for all staff, when it continues to operate a discriminatory performance pay system and now plans to use that system to force mark staff into a potential dismissal situation.
A modern, progressive employer would try to find a solution to ensure that fair pay, reward and recognition underpins business delivery. Our union stands ready to assist in finding such a solution.
To date however, the Ministry of Defence has ignored our requests to alter this discriminatory system and continues to reiterate that it will only “monitor the situation”.
Our union has therefore written to the Permanent Secretary, Jon Thompson, to ask him to intervene in this issue and recognise the importance of delivering equality and fairness for all his staff.
If this situation is not addressed, then it is clear in our view that:
- There will be little consistency between TLB’s and, where there is a heavily military line management, greater discrimination against protected groups will occur.
- Higher pay bands such as band B and C will receive the highest proportion of awards with pay band E receiving the lowest proportion.
- Proportionally fewer self-declared black and minority ethnic (BME) personnel will receive an award compared to their colleagues.
- A lower percentage of staff with a self-declared disability will receive an award compared to their non-disabled colleagues.
- Fewer lesbian, gay and bisexual staff will receive an award than staff who declared themselves as heterosexual and the likelihood of an award will be even less where the line management is military.
- There will be an age bias in the distribution of awards with younger members of staff receiving fewer bonuses than older members of staff.
- The distribution of awards will show a statistically significant geographical bias, with a clear north - south divide.
- Staff with more than 25 years service will receive fewer awards.
Our union will not stand idly by while the MoD continues to discriminate against civilian members of staff based on race, gender, age, sexual orientation or grade. Support our campaign against the imposition of the performance management system and support our union as it fights to oppose discrimination.
It is now time for change; it is now time to give all MoD staff a Fair Deal in Defence.
When I was an E2 the Bonus award to me was £300.00 but and there is always a but, the tax man took a big chunk of this and so did my National Insurance etc and in the end I got paid £150.00 Bonus which I know I should not complain about as it is after all a Bonus. I do not believe that this works and yes it is discriminatory because once I declared a disability I had no more bonuses and not only that my Line Manager conveniently lost my PAR and it never ever got seen by those further up the chain. Those that were B Bands or C Bands did get their bonuses no problems but those of us at the bottom were made to feel that we had to work super super hard for them and grovel basically to our Line Managers. I thank heavens that I am no longer in the position of having a PAR but my poor husband is and no he never got a bonus either this time around, why? because he too declared a disability.Enough said about the matter.
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