Overwhelming ‘yes’ vote in Capita 02 Partnership consultative pay ballot

Telecoms & Financial Services, Capita July 1 2021

Image: Simon J Beer / Shutterstock

Thursday 1st July 2021

Members in the Capita O2 Partnership have voted by more than nine-to-one to accept a CWU-brokered pay deal which will see everyone 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 include those employees who last year received no rise whatsoever on account of the Capita-wide pay bill freeze – which, in Customer Management, translated to an embargo on any increases at all for anyone paid over a £28,000 threshold and pay cuts for senior management.

Thanking members for delivering an unequivocal 92% show of support for the deal in a consultative ballot that concluded yesterday (Wednesday), newly elected CWU national officer for Capita, Tracey Fussey, said: “Although challenging at times, the final outcome of our pay talks on behalf of members in the Capita O2 partnership is a deal that stacks up well against the prevailing level of pay settlements in these difficult times.

“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. 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 – flowing through to pay-related allowances – 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 and staff on higher tiered Capita contracts who are paid above the RLW, but below the £28.000 threshold above which no rises were paid last year, the CWU-brokered deal delivers a fully consolidated rise of 2.15%.

And those paid over £28,000, who were therefore covered by last year’s pay freeze, receive a fully consolidated 2.5% increase that flows through to pay-related allowances, again backdated to April 1 this year.