Here are some of Unite’s biggest wins over the last 30 days.

The fight for better pay and conditions for workers is continuing, with Unite the Union securing a number of pay deals for its workers over the past month. Here are some of Unite’s biggest wins over the last 30 days.

1.Unite rail workers vote to accept pay deal

Unite workers in Network rail have accepted a pay deal after a long running dispute within the train operating companies.

Around 1000 Unite members will benefit from substantial pay increases after accepting the pay offer from the Department for Transport (DfT). Unite’s membership in Network Rail has accepted an increase of 4.5 per cent for 2024 and the Train Operating Company members have settled on a 2-year deal that sees a 4.75 per cent increase for 2023 and a further 4.5 per cent increase for 2024.

Unite’s Acting National Rail Officer John McGookin said: “This a good pay deal for Unite’s membership in the rail industry and is the next step on the path to a fully publicly owned railway that the British public wants and deserves.

“We recognise that there are challenges ahead, we have an opportunity to frame the future for rail and the wider transport sector and deliver for our members as well as the public.”

2. Unite secures pension pay outs for former MoD firefighters

Members of Unite who were former MoD firefighters have started receiving pensions and lump sum payments from Capita after the union took on the outsourcing giant.

Earlier this year Unite revealed how retired firefighters, who were responsible for tackling blazes on military bases, have been unable to access their full pension due to “numerous” blunders by the outsourcing group Capita.

Capita has been recently awarded a 10 year contract to run the entirety of the civil service pension scheme, which has 1.6 million members. It is due to take over administration of the scheme in 2025 as part of its wider civil service pensions contract.

Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “It beggars belief that Capita, a company that has been shown to have bungled the management of pensions for 700 hard working firefighters, has now been rewarded with a green light to take over running all the pensions in the civil service next year.

“I’m delighted our members have got the money they are owed for a lifetime of service but this demonstrates what happens when outsourcing and cost-cutting are valued above people’s welfare.”

Since Unite took up the fight its members are now starting to be paid their pension and lump sum with back dated payments. Due to delays some have received thousands of pounds in additional back payments while others have been compensated by Capita due to a Cabinet Office investigation finding Capita liable for the errors.

3. Unite delivers inflation beating pay rise for Wincanton drivers

In late September, Unite the union confirmed that it had delivered an inflation beating pay boost for Wincanton drivers based at Bellshill.

Around 30 HGV drivers will benefit from an increase over two years amounting to 10 per cent. The first part of the deal will see a seven per cent increase being applied which will run from September until April 2025.

In year two of the deal, running from next April to April 2026, a three per cent increase will be applied to the drivers who deliver kitchens on the Howdens contract to centres across Scotland.

The deal represents the first pay negotiation since Unite secured trade union recognition with Wincanton at Bellshill in November 2023. The deal was emphatically backed by 100 per cent of Unite’s membership at Wincanton.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is an excellent deal providing a significant pay boost to our HGV drivers. Unite continues to deliver better jobs, pay and conditions for our driver membership.”

4. Unite’s 300 Scotrail workers accept pay offer

Over 300 unite workers in Scotrailhave emphatically backed a 4.5 per cent pay offer.

91 per cent of Unite’s membership supported the wage offer by Scotrail which will be backdated to take effect from April for one year.  Unite is the first of the rail unions to declare the position of its membership on the pay offer.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s Scotrail membership have given their overwhelming support to a decent wage deal.  We are pleased to have successfully negotiated a significant boost to our members’ take-home pay.”

Unite represents over 300 Scotrail general workers including the engineering grades who provide maintenance, overhaul and repair services for the railway rolling stock. If safety critical work is not carried out, then the nation’s railway network cannot effectively operate.

5. Unite members at Diageo secure inflation beating pay deal

Unite the union confirmed in September that its over 500-strong membership at Diageo has voted to accept a one year pay deal successfully negotiated by the union.

Diageo workers will receive a wage increase worth around 10.3 per cent for the 3,000 employees based in distilleries and bottling plants across Scotland.

The deal is split into two parts with the first increase of eight per cent running from July until January 2025, and then an increase in real terms worth around 2.3 per cent will top-up the deal until July next year. Unite members at Diageo include: production operators, cask handlers and in distilleries.

Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “The Diageo deal secured by Unite is an excellent inflation beating pay win. Unite will not rest in its goal to deliver better jobs, pay and conditions for all workers in bottling plants and distilleries across Scotland.”

Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward

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