Network rail pay scale progression

[Mshaken]

Hiya
My partner works for NR - when he applied the salary was stated on the job description between one amount up to a higher amount. He offered the bottom of the band, which is fine, but he has been there nearly 2 years and is still on the bottom of the band.

Can anyone provide any insight on how the banding works and how you move up the scale? Is it based on performance, or is it not possible to move up the scale?

He was going to ask his boss but he’s off with family problems and not sure who else to ask. The rest of his team say constantly there is budget constraints and that they have to be careful what they expense and keep everything low cost as possible. I wonder if this also has something to dowith it or whether he’s just stuck on the bottom. There’s nothing on NR policies to explain the banding / scales so unclear on how to progress

Thanks.

 

[tcm1106]

Hiya
My partner works for NR - when he applied the salary was stated on the job description between one amount up to a higher amount. He offered the bottom of the band, which is fine, but he has been there nearly 2 years and is still on the bottom of the band.

Can anyone provide any insight on how the banding works and how you move up the scale? Is it based on performance, or is it not possible to move up the scale?

He was going to ask his boss but he’s off with family problems and not sure who else to ask. The rest of his team say constantly there is budget constraints and that they have to be careful what they expense and keep everything low cost as possible. I wonder if this also has something to dowith it or whether he’s just stuck on the bottom. There’s nothing on NR policies to explain the banding / scales so unclear on how to progress

Thanks.

Pay reviews for bands 1-4 take effect in the late summer, usually July/August. The union negotiation as to the size of the pay award is currently in progress.

In the past, there has been an element of personal performance taken into account when determining an individuals’ pay award, but this hasn’t been the case for at least the last three years. Last year the pay award for bands 1-4 was 4.5% and this was applied from July.
Whatever award is negotiated this year with the unions will be automatically applied at approximately the same time in the calendar.
If he’s band 5-8 then a slightly different calendar applies, but it’s a similar principal. Hope this helps.

 

[GuyGibsonVC]

There is now actually no way to move up the bands as the Performance Related Pay aspect of the bonus no longer applies.

There is no incentive or reward for upskilling, experience or technical knowledge within the bands and I understand the frustration. From the bottom of band to the top of the band is around a 47% uplift but it is demoralising that there is no way to access any of this head room.

The bottom of the band will move with the pay rise. This means you could be in a role for 5 years and then someone who is new to the role will come in at the same rate. The process isn’t fit for purpose.

TSSA should’ve sorted it years ago and I wouldn’t hold my breath.

 

[PM77]

If he’s band 5-8 then a slightly different calendar applies, but it’s a similar principal. Hope this helps.

If they are maintenance 5-8 then it should be written in the T&Cs of how they go up the band every year. Not all IMC contracts had banding for maintenance grades though.

 

[tcm1106]

There is now actually no way to move up the bands as the Performance Related Pay aspect of the bonus no longer applies.

There is no incentive or reward for upskilling, experience or technical knowledge within the bands and I understand the frustration. From the bottom of band to the top of the band is around a 47% uplift but it is demoralising that there is no way to access any of this head room.

The bottom of the band will move with the pay rise. This means you could be in a role for 5 years and then someone who is new to the role will come in at the same rate. The process isn’t fit for purpose.

TSSA should’ve sorted it years ago and I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Worth noting that the bottom of the band doesn’t always move up - it has only done so a small number of times, so therefore it is technically possible to move up the band, but essentially via pay ‘erosion’ rather than anything performance-linked. Otherwise, I completely agree.

 

[winks]

I don’t even think Network Rail recruiting managers know how the system works or what annual leave you get now.

A total shambles as I found out at a ROC interview last year.

As an outsider when applying you would think you move up the payscale (within the bands) but seems like it’s a spot salary at the minute.

 

[GuyGibsonVC]

I don’t even think Network Rail recruiting managers know how the system works or what annual leave you get now.

A total shambles as I found out at a ROC interview last year.

As an outsider when applying you would think you move up the payscale (within the bands) but seems like it’s a spot salary at the minute.

The unfair nature of how it is applied causes issues, too.

You can go for the same role on different routes and be offered different amounts within the band for the same job.

Lastly, you can be on a lower band but be on a higher salary than the band above due to the wide range of the bands. I know people who have downgraded themselves but kept their salary as it was still within the lower band. Essentially, dispensing accountability but keeping the money.

 

[TSG]

I'm not sure if pay progression in role clarity has ever worked properly. HR were only too happy to knock it on the head a few years ago, on the basis that a mutually agreeable way of doing it, that didn't create the sort of anomalies mentioned above, couldn't be found. There is no system to progress through the band in place as it stands. Senior HR keep making noises about reinstating a system based on development but they don't seem to be in a hurry I'm afraid.