RMCtv : Aaron Barnes : Our Updated Pay Offer to CWU - first 2% now unconditional to help with cost of living

[POSTMAN]

Our Updated Pay Offer to CWU – first 2% now unconditional to help with cost of living

We met with the CWU yesterday and today to make progress on our pay deal.

As part of these discussions we have now made the first 2% of the pay offer unconditional because we recognise that people are feeling the impact of growing inflation now, and CWU have not yet engaged with us on the change we need to pay for the pay.

As you are aware, we have already proposed to CWU a package worth up to 3.5% this year for CWU grade Parcelforce colleagues.

Our original offer included a pay increase of up to 3.5% - subject to agreed changes as part of our deal – and additionally to review and update the incentive schemes in place in Depots, Hubs and Processing Centres to create an opportunity for Parcelforce employees to supplement their earnings.

Our revised offer

We want to give you a pay rise as soon as possible - so we have now revised our offer to make the first 2% unconditional, backdated to April 2022.
This 2% unconditional pay increase would be applicable to all CWU grade colleagues. It would apply to base pay and relevant allowances.
This means that if CWU accept this revised offer we will begin the process to pay a 2% pay rise as soon as possible.

To be clear, we do want to pay more. But for that to work, we need CWU to meet us for meaningful discussion about how change can pay for further pay increases. We are at a crossroads, and it is important that we agree a deal that includes the changes we need to set us up for tomorrow, and not just today.

Next steps

Further talks are scheduled for next week. We are committed to the dispute resolution process and we will continue to urge CWU to engage with us on change that will enable us to pay more as part of this deal.

We believe we’ve put forward a proposal which is a fair and reasonable compromise between CWU expectations of a ‘no strings’ pay award that is paid quickly, and the need for our business to remain competitive and ensure job security for the future.

Aaron Barnes
Managing Director, Parcelforce

[Sir Henry]

I'm confused (well colour you all surprised ) wasn't the 2% originally unconditional anyway?

[Chelseablue]

Thanks i feel so loved and respected now . 2%. Wooooooooooohooooooo!!

[Woody Guthrie]

Inflation was around 5.5% last year.
We got 1%.

That means in real terms my pay dropped by 4.5% last year.

Accepting 2% this year with inflation running around 9% and likely to climb means at least another 7% pay cut in real terms.

There may come a point when ridiculous as it sounds I can no longer afford to work because we're basically working ourselves into poverty.