Huge wins and pay deals secured so far this year for members of the union Unite.

Unite the Union has announced a series of wins and impressive pay deals so far this year for workers across the UK.

Less likely to receive news coverage than strike date announcements, but equally as important, are the wins secured by unions on behalf of their members every week.

Here are the union wins so far this year from Unite.

Maintenance workers secure double digit pay rise

A pay increase of at least 13% was awarded to workers employed by Continental Landscapes, on Welwyn and Hatfield council’s ground maintenance contract.

Their pay will increase on 1 April from £10.12 an hour to at least £11.44 an hour.

The deal also secured a commitment from the employer that agency workers will not be paid a higher rate of pay than permanent staff in the future.

Cost of living increase and pay boost for port workers

50 employees at the port of Liverpool employed by Briggs Marine, who are responsible for mooring ships, secured an 8% pay increase in basic pay, overtime rates and shore tension payments backdated to 1 January.

They also received a one off cost of living increase worth £1,300 for the lowest paid mooring operatives, and £800 for charge hands and coxswains.

Huge 28% pay rise for Luton airport workers

Unite secured an excellent deal for 200 baggage handlers and check in staff at Luton airport who received a 28% pay rise.

The deal was secured during annual pay negotiations and without the need for industrial action.

Prolonged strike action ends for construction workers

Employees working on the Valero oil refinery in Pembrokeshire gained a minimum 11% pay increase after taking prolonged strike action late last year.

The deal secures an increase in bonus payments worth £2.06 an hour – for a skilled worker this works out as a pay increase of 10.6%, while for the lowest paid apprentices the increase is worth 24.5%.

West London parking attendants pay boost

Strikes were called off in West London after Unite negotiated a pay deal for parking attendants and CCTV camera operators in Ealing worth 17%, and 19% in Brent.

Workers began a two week strike on Wednesday 18 January. They are employed by Serco, whose latest profits were £303.9 million.

‘Ground breaking’ deal for Asda tanker drivers

On top of a 12.2% pay increase, tanker drivers for Asda also received an improved shift system agreement.

Their employer Fuel Transport Logistics (FTL) agreed to move to a four on four off shift system, meaning workers will work 27 fewer shifts per year with no pay loss. This means the deal over the last six months is in effect worth 25.7%.

It was heralded as a ‘ground breaking pay and conditions deal’.

Household waste strikes called off in Merseyside

Planned strike action by nearly 400 workers at 22 household waste sites in Merseyside were called off after workers accepted an improved pay offer.

Workers will receive a 10% pay rise backdated for the financial year 2022/23 and an 8.4% increase for 2023/24, whilst the lowest paid workers will also receive a one-off payment of £375.

Hannah Davenport is trade union reporter at Left Foot Forward

(Photo credit: Garry Knight – Public Domain)

Left Foot Forward’s trade union reporting is supported by the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust

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