Pay breakthrough at Capita triggers 02 Partnership consultative ballot
Telecoms & Financial Services, Capita June 18 2021
Tough but businesslike pay negotiations on behalf of members in the Capita O2 Partnership have yielded a ‘final’ offer pay offer that, if accepted, will see all CWU represented grade employees on the contract receive a minimum of 2.15%, backdated to April 1.
Crucially the deal – which applies to members working in Preston Brook and Leeds ABC in the recognised Capita O2 bargaining unit – maintains the company’s commitment to pay an absolute minimum of the Real Living Wage, while simultaneously delivering a consolidated pay rise for everyone paid above that level.
Beneficiaries will include those employees who last year received no rise whatsoever on account of the Capita-wide embargo on any pay rises at all for anyone paid over a £28,000 threshold.
CWU national officer for Capita, Brendan O’Brien, explains: “From the outset of the negotiations the Capita O2 National Team was adamant that the Real Living Wage (RLW) should continue to be paid by Capita, rather than slip back to the national living wage, or somewhere in-between.
“We were therefore pleased with the company’s confirmation early on that it would be applying the full 2021 RLW increase that applies outside of London of 20p per hour – from £9.30 to £9.50 – something they duly did on April 1. This represents a 2.15% increase for the company’s lowest paid staff in the Capita O2 Partnership – and crucially applies beyond the recognised bargaining unit, including in unrecognised sites like Dearne Valley where we are steadily building membership.”
For all ex-Telefonica TUPE members who are paid above the RLW but below the £28.000 threshold above which no rises were paid last year, the CWU-brokered deal that is now on the table for those above the RLW rate delivers a fully consolidated rise of 2.15%. (The 2.15% also applies to those members on Capita contracts such as Coaches and those on the higher pay Tiers who would have been affected by ‘pay compression’ – these are differential hourly rates calculated from a baseline – the RLW.)
During the course of tough negotiations, the union has also ensured that there is no repetition this year of the company’s bitterly disputed decision in 2020 to effectively freeze the wages of anyone earning more than £28,000.
“The National Team wanted to ensure that this comparatively small group of members did not miss out again, and that they were fully considered and their efforts recognised,” stresses Brendan.
“Following strong CWU representations that some form of redress was needed for the lack of a pay rise for these members last year, the company has agreed that this year they will receive a fully consolidated award of 2.5% in what, for them, retrospectively becomes a two-year pay deal.
Brendan concludes: “Although difficult and challenging, our pay talks on behalf of members in the Capita O2 Partnership have been positive throughout – and the O2 National Team believes that this is the final best position that can be reached via negotiation.
“The offer will now therefore be placed before to members in a consultative ballot, with the National Team urging members to a vote to accept the deal on the table.”
- An e-ballot will commence next week, and Capita O2 Partnership members should check their email accounts accordingly. The CWU is expecting to be able to announce the outcome of pay negotiations for members in the Capita Tesco Mobile Partnership next week.