Pay 2019: Pay claim

Pay 2019 & 2020 Campaign Archive

When we came to research and write the Unite at NatWest Pay claim for Pay 2019, the bank (then known as RBS Group) had returned to profit for the first time since 2008 and had paid a modest dividend to shareholders also for the first time in almost a decade.

The ‘Fair Pay’ claim that we submitted was modest but reflected the bank’s newly positive economic outlook and members’ growing anger that despite the bank being more financially secure than it had been for a decade, they were being overlooked.

This newsletter was first published in October 2018.

RBS Pay 2019: Your ‘Fair Pay’ Claim Lodged

  • Union demands a ‘decent and fair’ pay increase for all RBS employees.
  • Unite members back a call for ‘across the board’ pay rises.
  • Claim seeks to improve wages to meet rising living costs.

The Unite claim

Union negotiators met with representative of RBS recently and tabled the following claim on behalf of all bank employees:

  • An increase of £600 or 4% whichever is the greater-(pro rata for part-time employees).
  • Increases to apply to all staff irrespective of position in range or performance rating.
  • Underpin designed to support low-paid staff and provide real-term increases for long-serving employees.

The Unite claim has taken into account labour market conditions, economic trends and social factors, the productivity and profitability of the bank and the detailed feedback received from union members via our survey.

Unite Survey

Ahead of this year’s pay negotiations we asked members to send us their views on a range of issues through an online survey.

As in previous years, colleagues feel that despite contributing so much to the recovery of the bank, pay rises on the whole have not been reflective of that contribution.

The survey result show that members demand change:

  • Members want a pay rise that takes into account the below-inflation pay rises of the past.
  • Unite members want to see the existing performance management system replaced and for pay rises to be implemented across the board.
  • More than half of colleagues who responded to the survey said that they were having difficulty ‘managing’ their current financial situation.
  • Employees clearly feel they deserve of a better overall reward package.

Unite comment

There is no doubt that Unite members have contributed to the re-building of RBS and at the same time they have had to endure much of the countries ire at the failures of Britain’s banks over recent years.

Unite has previously argued that a cost of living rise-as measured by RPI-would only allow our member spending power to stand still. But the RPI masks the true ‘workers index’ of costs colleagues and their families have to meet just to get by. The follow price increases have hit working families the hardest:

  • Petrol and oil up 11.6%.
  • Children’s clothing up 7.0%.
  • Electricity up 6.8%.
  • Food up 3.7%.

Family and domestic life have been badly affected by the constant change agenda across the bank and the bank should do more to address its impact. Achieving more with less is having a debilitating effect on many workers.

Unite contends that it is right that the company should offer their workforce a fair reward for their ongoing hard work and commitment.

Negotiations with RBS will take place over the next few months and members will be provided with regular updates.

Get involved-Support the Campaign on Pay 2019

If you would like support the campaign for a fair pay award please do not hesitate to contact Unite as follows: rbsinfo@unitetheunion.org.

Unite representatives

The union is always seeking members to take on one of the four Unite Representative Roles i.e. Workplace, Union Learning, Safety and Equality. If Unite members are interested in finding out more about becoming a Unite Representative please contact the Unite RBS Helpline or e-mail rbsinfo@unitetheunion.org.

Unite RBS Updates & Update Your Details

If you would like to receive regular updates electronically from the union and have not already advised us, please email from your preferred email address to rbsinfo@unitetheunion.org.

It is also important that members ensure that their membership details are up to date and accurate (e.g. home address, work address, whether you are full time or part time etc.)

If you believe that your membership details are out of date, please also e-mail the above address or alternatively you can contact your local union office or log onto ‘My Unite’ at the website www.unitetheunion.org where you can update your own details. 

Not a member?

RBS employees who are not already members of Unite are urged to join the trade union now.

Join Unite’s 1.4 million members and have a voice on your pay and other issues, as well as receiving support, advice and representation. Membership forms can be obtained by emailing rbsinfo@unitetheunion.org plus you can join online at www.unitetheunion.org.

Further reading

  • Our next update covered results from our member pay survey and the bank’s claim that their pay approach was both fair and well liked by workers.