UNISON and Unite have submitted a claim to the Canal & River Trust national joint forum for staff in England and Wales.
The trade union side claim for 2014/15 calls for:
- a 4.75% increase on salary bands and allowances;
- an increase in the standby/call out payment to £154;
- an additional day’s leave on 2 January 2015 to reflect the fact that it falls on a Friday;
- one additional day of annual leave;
- Canal & River Trust to sign up to the living wage campaign and ensure that no member of staff earns less than £7.65 per hour, or £8.80 in London;
- to break the link between performance reviews and pay.
UNISON assistant mational officer Jane Ellis said: “Each year, inflation erodes the value of Canal & River Trust’s pay and our members’ income, and at the very least the annual pay round should address this.
“While the unions recognise the difficulties Canal & River Trust has faced over the past 12 months, the employer needs to also recognise the loyalty and dedication of its staff through this period.
“We believe that the 2014 pay round is an opportunity for Canal & River Trust to do this.
“We also believe that settling this claim would be a positive step that would assist in boosting and maintaining staff morale along with future recruitment and long-term retention.”
