Telefonica pay deal out to ballot

Telecoms & Financial Services, Telefonica UK February 9 2018

Members in Telefonica are being urged to accept to accept a CWU-negotiated pay settlement which provides for a 2.5 per cent across-the-board rise that flows through to allowances, including pay and pension protection.

The deal, which was announced today, also secures pay progression payments for Technical Specialist, Business Support & Technical Engineering grade employees who are not at the top of their pay spine – apart from those who’ve been performance ranked as ‘under performers’.

Those pay progressions are worth 1.6 per cent, 1.3 per cent or 1 per cent

This year’s pay talks were conducted against a challenging economic backdrop for Telefonica – with the company citing Brexit uncertainty and associated economic volatility, the impact of the falling exchange rate, increased handset costs and the need to acquire additional spectrum in the forthcoming spectrum auction as limiting factors in this year’s pay round.

Assistant secretary Sally Bridge said: “While accepting that the company certainly faces some significant challenges in a fiercely competitive mobile market, the union’s negotiating team was vociferous on the fact that CWU members need to be properly rewarded for the crucial contribution they make to Telefonica UK’s ongoing success.

“We believe that the full and final offer of 2.5 per cent we have secured in tough negotiations strikes the right balance, and that the deal being put before members compares favourably to average settlements.”

“As such, we’re strongly recommending acceptance of this pay offer so it can be implemented, on time, in members’ April pay packets.”

• The consultative ballot, which will be electronic and conducted by the independent scrutineer Popularis, opens on February 26 and closes on March 12.