Hotting up at the Guardian, HR hits back at the NUJ..

From: Carolyn Gray

To: All

Dear All,

Last week, the GMG Board agreed a change in the management and running of the Remuneration Committee (RemCo).

A new Remuneration Committee Information and Consultation Forum will be created, made up from elected representatives from across the business. This forum will be briefed and de-briefed before and after each RemCo meeting by Judy Gibbons (GMG Non-Executive Director and Chair of RemCo) and myself, giving them the opportunity to input and influence all subjects on the RemCo agenda including pensions and benefits.

This is a progressive decision that sets GMG apart from the majority of other organisations and is a significant development in our on-going commitment to move employee engagement up the agenda and more fully embed it in our organisational culture. The GMG Board also hopes it will give us a solid platform to increase participation in RemCo over time.

I am setting up an implementation group to work through the details of how the forum will run and the election process for representatives. We will share further details with you as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Best,

CAG
—
Carolyn Gray

Group Director of HR, Pensions, and Sustainability

The NUJ complains about the management negotiating by email:

Dear Colleagues

You will have all received an email from Carolyn Gray regarding the executive pay remuneration committee. I have just sent her this reply on behalf of the chapel. It is not generally the NUJ’s policy to negotiate by email, but as this seems to be the latest trend it behoves us, as always, to be flexible. BW

Dear CAG

Thanks for your email re Remco. As you know, the company’s failure to honour its commitment to the NUJ – made as part of last year’s settlement – for elected representation on the committee is now a matter of dispute between us. That being the case, we are unable to take part in the forum you suggest, and will be consulting with our colleagues in Unite in the hope they understand and support our position.

For the record, we believe that your proposition – rather than being the progressive step you envisage – actually undercuts the rights of trade unions to make representations about executive pay. As ever, we would be happy to discuss our concerns with you. In the meantime, I would ask you to reconsider your proposals. As they stand, they can only be seen as a hostile move at what is clearly a very difficult time.

Yours

Brian (on behalf of the NUJ)

She says progressive, he says hostile, let’s call the whole thing off…