Met Office members win major improvements to working arrangements

Prospect members at the Met Office have secured a new framework for managing hours balances for shift-working staff, following a collective grievance and months of negotiations with management.

The agreement is a major milestone in the Forecast: Fairer Hours campaign, launched after members raised concerns about the unlimited accumulation of hours deficits and surpluses, with some members facing deductions from their final salaries.

The collective grievance was signed by 60 members in August last year, followed by an appeal and negotiations.

Under the new framework:

• Hours balances will be subject to a maximum +30/-30 hour tolerance over a three-month roster period.
• Deficit hours outside the tolerance that cannot reasonably be mitigated will be removed, while surplus hours will be compensated through overtime or TOIL.
• Staff will be credited with their full rostered hours where shifts are cancelled or curtailed and suitable alternative work cannot be provided.
• Staff leaving or moving roles will no longer carry hours deficits or surpluses with them.
• On-call arrangements will no longer contribute to hours balances.

Lisa Browne, Prospect Negotiations Officer said:

“This agreement is a significant step forward for shift-working staff at the Met Office. Our members came together to highlight a longstanding issue and have secured clearer and fairer arrangements for managing their hours. The new framework will provide greater certainty and protection for members.”

Harry Mooney, Met Office Branch Vice Chair said:

“We welcome this agreement and the positive engagement we have had from the Met Office over the last 12 months.  This issue has caused our members significant stress and we hope that this agreement marks a fresh start for this.”

The framework takes effect immediately, with further work to follow on retrospective balances and wider policy changes.

This campaign demonstrates what members can achieve by standing together to secure collective improvements to their terms and conditions.