Airwave pay up

Airwave April 11 2019

Members in Airwave have just received an across-the-board 2.5 per cent pay rise after giving their near blanket approval to a union-brokered deal that ensures the increase is fully consolidated for virtually all CWU-represented grade employees.

No less than 98 per cent of members participating in a consultative ballot last month voted in favour of the deal which matches the current RPI inflation measure – unchanged from its January level (reported in February), which was the relevant figure when negotiations commenced.

Assistant secretary John East explains: “From the outset of negotiations the CWU made it very clear to management that anything less than a cost of living rise would not be acceptable to the hard-working staff who keep the police, fire brigade and ambulance service talking.

“Despite all the uncertainty of recent years, Airwave continues to generate healthy profits on the back of the tried and tested network that our members have built and maintain – and I’m pleased to say the company responded positively to our entirely justifiable demands.”

Members’ resounding ratification of the deal means the settlement came into effect on time on April 1 and will be paid in this month’s salaries, with no need for backdating.

In addition to securing a 2.5 per cent pay increase to all G1 and G2 pay scales, the CWU negotiating team successfully ensured that the rise will also apply in full to all those paid above their salary maximum who have a protected salary as a result of the ‘Securing Tomorrow’ agreement.

Flowing through to on-call, shift and cover allowances, the CWU additionally successfully argued that, for the small number of employees who are paid above their salary maximums but who do not have a protected salary, the 2.5 per cent will be paid as an unconsolidated monthly payment.

“Even some of these individuals will get at least part of the increase consolidated, because the way the salary range has moved over the past few years means that the maximum point of the scale has now caught up with them,” John explains.

“At the end of the day just five individuals who are already paid above their pay scale maximums – in some cases considerably so, for various historical reasons – will receive only an unconsolidated increase.

“The 98 per cent ‘Yes’ vote is the clearest possible indication that members have recognised the fairness of the deal we negotiated, and also the wisdom of banking a 2.5 per cent pay rise that matches the current RPI inflation rate in the current uncertain political and economic environment.”

Full details of the deal can be viewed in Airwave Members Bulletin No. 01:19