Bid for pay parity at guardians’ body

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service will
come under pressure to give staff in England the same terms as
their better paid Welsh counterparts in forthcoming pay
negotiations.

Family court union Napo said it was likely to press for English
salaries to be brought into line with those in Wales in its 2005-6
pay claim .

Under the Children Act 2004, Cafcass Wales has been transferred
to the assembly government, which has put staff on higher pay bands
than their English counterparts.

According to Napo, salaries for family court advisers range from
£26,650 to £31,980 in England and from £28,200 to
£36,400 in Wales.

Vice-chair Sian Griffiths said two elements of the 2004-5 pay
claim, on unsocial hours and overtime, were also to be settled.
“We’re going to have to take a decision on what to do unless they
get resolved,” she said.

Cafcass chief executive Anthony Douglas said it would put “clear
and positive proposals about extra contractual work and unsocial
hours” to Napo when the two sides next met in March.

He added: “We’re also keen to discuss a long-term pay and
workforce strategy.”