Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service 2024 – Wilts & Dorset (Drivers)

Our Ref: B/0001/W&D

 

14^th June 2024

 

Dear RMT Member 

 

Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service 2024 – Wilts & Dorset (Drivers) 

 

In line with Union policy, a claim was submitted for a substantial increase in rates of pay and improvements to terms and conditions. Talks have taken place with the Company and the ‘full and final’ offer which has been tabled is as follows:

 

The following applies to Contract A which is the majority of those drivers covered by the collective agreement:

 

Basic Rates of Pay

The Monday to Friday basic rate of pay will increase from £13.50 to £15.00 per hour.

The Sunday basic rate of pay will increase from £13.50 to £16.00 per hour.

The Saturday basic rate of pay will increase from £14.75 to £16.00 per hour. 

 

Overtime Rates of Pay

In order to get the basic rate of pay as high as possible, the rostered overtime rate will harmonise with the basic rate for each day of the week, however the Saturday rostered overtime rate of will be frozen at £16.33 per hour until year three of this deal when the Saturday basic rate will exceed this amount. 

 

Voluntary overtime, defined as before duty, in-between duty (for split shift drivers), after duty or rest day working will be paid at the basic rate of pay for that day plus one third of the basic rate. In year one this will be £20.00 per hour for Monday to Friday and £21.33 for Saturday and Sundays. The arrangement of time and a third will be applied in years two and three of this deal. 

 

Sick Pay

Sick pay will continue to be paid at 100% of the basic rate for the first spell of absence in a twelve-month rolling period, and 80% of the basic rate for the second and any subsequent spell of absence in a twelve-month rolling period. 

 

Contract B

 

The hourly rate for contract B will continue to be £1.00 per hour less than the Monday to Friday rate of Contract A drivers. An additional change negotiated-in with this deal is the introduction of a fifth week's holiday for contract B drivers which will commence after 5 years’ service, akin to their Contract A counterparts. For those Contract B drivers who qualify in the current holiday year for the additional leave, the amount of leave will be pro rata to align with the holiday year which now runs from January to December. The other terms and conditions associated with this contract remain unchanged. 

 

Contract C

 

A temporary Contract C was introduced at Salisbury only to address the recruitment challenges we have faced. As agreed at the time, this was a temporary contract which would cease once the Contract A Monday to Friday basic rate equalled or exceeded the current £14.00 rate. As this offer does just that, those colleagues employed on Contract C at Salisbury will be written to and a new Contract A (B394) will be offered. This will then mean that Contract C is no longer used. 

 

Training Rate

A new training rate of Contract A basic minus £1.25 per hour will apply to all colleagues undergoing training until such time as they are signed off by a manager to undertake solo driving. This will apply to PCV licence holders and non PCV licence holders. In year one of this deal is this will be £13.75 per hour.

 

Mentor Rate

Our mentors provide a vital role in helping new colleagues settle in to their roles in the business. The current arrangement is to pay an extra hour on top of the shift pay which equates to approximately £1.68 per hour but will vary dependent upon the shift length. This arrangement will be done away with and a new mentor rate at £2.50 per hour above the prevailing basic rate will apply to recognised mentors when undertaking the mentoring of another driver. 

 

Relief Driving Instructor Rate

The Relief Driving Instructor rate increased with salaried staff in April of this year. Going forwards, in future years, the relief driving instructor rate will pay £5.00 per hour above the prevailing Contract A basic rate. This will apply from the 2025 increase and not the 2024 increase as we realign the difference. 

 

Principles of New Pay Structure

The pay structure going forwards will work off increases applied to the basic rates of pay for Contract A as they are linked as either multipliers (time and a third for example) or pounds and pence increments (Saturdays and Sundays pay £1.00 per hour more than the basic Monday to Friday), mentors will be paid £2.50 per hour over-and-above the basic rates of pay etc. These pounds and pence differences will apply in future years unless changed by negotiation. 

 

Multi-year deal

In order to implement this inflation busting offer when the rate of RPI is at 3.3%, it is conditional on a three year deal. The Company recognises that there is some apprehension around a longer-term deal, but trusts that the measures that are attached to the multi-year increases provide reassurance to colleagues. 

 

The same arrangement will apply in both year 2 (July 2025) and year 3 (July 2026) and will pay a guaranteed 2.0% increase to the Contract A Monday to Friday and Saturday and Sunday basic rates of pay. As all other rates are now functions of the basic, this increase will flow through to all other rates. 

 

An RPI-linked protection will apply if the May rate of the Retail Prices Index (RPI) as published by the Office of National Statistics is 3.1% or greater up to 11.0% then the increase applied will increase by 0.1% for every 0.1% increase in RPI up to an RPI rate of 11.0%. For example, if the May RPI rate is 3.5%, the increase applied will be 2.5%. If the May RPI rate is 10.0%, the increase applied will be 9.0%. In the unlikely event that the rate of RPI is greater than 11.1%, a 10.0% increase will be applied and the Company will convene a further meeting with representatives to discuss the financial situation and options available with the aim of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement on any additional increase that may need to be applied.

 

The National Executive Committee has considered this matter and having noted a report received from your Lead Officer, has instructed me to hold an e-referendum of you and your colleagues so that you can have your say on it. The National Executive Committee is recommending that you vote ‘YES’ to accept this offer. The referendum will close at 11am on Thursday 20^thJune 2024. 

 

Referendum Instructions

 

Members will shortly receive an email from 'RMT Referenda' which will allow you to register your vote. Please follow the instructions and make sure you complete this by no later than 11:00 hours on Thursday 20^th June 2024.

 

You must have an email address to take part

 

If you know of any member who has not received this email or if you are having any difficulties voting, please contact referenda@rmt.org.uk or the RMT Helpline on 0800 376 3706. If you do not receive your vote immediately, please check your junk/spam folders before contacting us for a replacement. 

 

VOTE ‘YES’ TO ACCEPT THE OFFER

 

Yours sincerely

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary