Trainers and staff hail 'significant step' towards addressing work-life balance

Representatives of trainers and stable staff were on Monday collectively hailing an agreement between the two sides as a "significant step" towards addressing the work-life balance for racing staff.

The National Joint Council for Stable Staff (NJC), which comprises representatives of the National Trainers Federation (NTF) and National Association of Racing Staff (NARS), said the agreement introduces greater flexibility into the pattern of working hours.

Previously, rotas were calculated off a total of 85 hours over a two-week period, whereas the new deal is based on a 40-hour week with a four per cent increase to the minimum rate.

This is balanced by a change to overtime, calculated at time and a half as opposed to double pay on Sundays. The commitment to a minimum of five hours on Saturday mornings remained. The deal will come into effect next Monday.

NARS chief executive George McGrath said: "We commend the NTF for enabling us to overcome the final obstacle in allowing us to promote this vital industry role as a career which can be vibrant, exciting and rewarding, and is on a par with other occupations that deliver and enable a modern lifestyle.

"For many years achieving a decent quality of life for our members has been equally as important as increasing rates of pay, and we are delighted to have been able to negotiate this agreement."

Rupert Arnold, chief executive of the NTF, said: "In recent years both the NTF and NARS have aspired to introduce more flexibility in the pattern of working hours.

"While the National Joint Council has been searching for a mutually agreeable definition, trainers have been adopting a variety of new ways of working. This is now reflected in the Memorandum of Agreement which dispenses with a default working week and removes any obstacles to new working patterns."

BHA executive director Will Lambe said: “This is excellent news, a hugely important step forward, and a credit to both NARS and the NTF. It shows what can be achieved when key organisations within British racing work in partnership.

“We believe that it will make a real difference - alongside efforts to provide more support for our workforce - to the retention of the excellent staff working in our sport, and be a considerable help to our recruitment campaigns.”

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