How Skills-Based Pay Threatens AFSCME Members & All Workers
Reducing the number of classifications within a title series by vertically consolidating them gives management more discretion over work assignments and pay, limits the opportunity for workers to achieve promotions and undercuts their economic security. It also undermines our union’s ability to collectively bargain for transparent, equitable wages, where each worker has the same access and opportunities to seek promotions based on consistent, clearly defined and objective criteria. Click on each threat below to learn more.
1. Unpredictable and reduced worker pay
Pay can fluctuate — yearly, quarterly, weekly or by pay period — based on the skills management prioritizes and the worker is given the opportunity to demonstrate for that given time period. A worker’s base pay may be lowered and the difference, in whole or in part, offered as a SBP supplement.
2. Disrupts current compensation structures
Pay can fluctuate — yearly, quarterly, weekly or by pay period — based on the skills management prioritizes and the worker is given the opportunity to demonstrate for that given time period. A worker’s base pay may be lowered and the difference, in whole or in part, offered as a SBP supplement.
3. Potential for management bias in work assignment and skills assessment
Basing workers’ pay on their demonstration of prioritized skills gives individual managers tremendous control over their employee’s pay. Furthermore, they may control access to the type of work assignments that will use the prioritized skills. This level of subjectivity gives managers increased opportunities to exercise bias, whether conscious or unconscious. It also opens the door to the kind of exploitation and corruption our union has long been fighting against. With SBP, individual managers are empowered to fundamentally impact members’ paychecks, daily working conditions and long-term career trajectory.
4. Creates discord among the bargaining unit
Competition and perceived bias over work assignments that are tied to pay inevitably creates tension and division among workers which is likely to both undermine overall productivity and weaken member solidarity.
5. Workers will not be paid a fair wage for their skills
Positions require workers to utilize a combination of knowledge, skills and abilities. Paying for individual skill utilization ignores the interplay among skill sets, the culminative nature of acquiring and applying skill sets and the full breadth and depth of knowledge, ability and judgement that workers use on the job. As a result, SBP undermines fair market wages by undervaluing a worker’s true market value to their employer.
6. Undermines the Civil Service Classification Systems
Job classifications are a foundational component of a merit-based civil service system. Job classifications are intended to group together similar positions under a standardized pay structure. Classifications within a title series clearly demarcate individual job responsibilities and tasks. This allows for transparency and advancement opportunities with predictable and permanent wage increases, as reflected in most contract wage scales. However, it is easier to implement SBP when compensation and skill ranges are defined more broadly than they are in most job classification systems.
Reducing the number of classifications within a title series by vertically consolidating them gives management more discretion over work assignments and pay, limits the opportunity for workers to achieve promotions and undercuts their economic security. It also undermines our union’s ability to collectively bargain for transparent, equitable wages, where each worker has the same access and opportunities to seek promotions based on consistent, clearly defined and objective criteria.
Warning Signs
Be on the lookout for changes to the employee evaluation process which could indicate that your employer might be positioning to transition to SBP. These include changes to rating categories, who does the evaluations and the frequency of the evaluations.
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