The NLB is the general lighthouse authority responsible for the waters surrounding Scotland and the Isle of Man.

The offer for all shore-based pay grades is linked to changing the flexible working hours arrangement currently in place.

Core hours will be introduced and flexi periods will be restricted to one day off per flexi period and one day carry over of time from 1 April 2020.

The offer for 2019-2020, which is consolidated and will be backdated to 1 August 2019, provides:

• a 6.3% increase for all employees in pay bands A to F, including apprentices
• a 6.3% increase to allowances, except where the calculation of the payment is linked to a salary level
• a non-consolidated, performance-related bonus payment of up to £1,091, subject to certain criteria, for full-time employees; part time staff will receive a pro-rata payment.

The increases for senior managers will be capped at the cash value increase for pay band F – equating to between 5.92% and 4.63%.

The offer for 2020-21, again consolidated and effective from 1 August 2020, provides:

• a 6.3% increase for all employees in pay bands A to F, including apprentices
• a 6.3% increase to allowances, except where the calculation of the payment is linked to a salary level
• a non-consolidated, performance-related bonus payment, subject to certain criteria; part time staff will receive a pro-rata payment.

The increases for senior managers will be capped at the cash value increase for pay band F – equating to increases of between 5.94% and 4.7%.

Prospect negotiator Richard Hardy paid tribute to the union reps who had worked and lobbied tirelessly on pay over the past three to four years.

He also acknowledged the chief executive and senior management team’s tenacity on putting the business case to the Cabinet Office and engaging with the unions.

“The offer is a significant improvement on previous years and represents a huge divergence from government pay policy.

“It goes a long way to restoring members’ real pay to the levels it would have been had they not been subjected to 10 years of UK government pay restraint.

“Although the offer has detrimental changes to current policies and treats members differently depending on grade, we recognise the work that has gone into it.

“That is why we are supporting it and recommending that members accept it as the best achievable through negotiation.”

The union is also working with NLB to see if the back pay can be paid without causing issues for members around pension contributions and student loans.

The ballot will close at midday on 14 February 2020.