Babcock Pay Award News

Babcock Members have accepted the 2021 pay proposal.  Therefore, basic rates of pay for employees covered by Procedure Agreement 1 (General Collective Bargaining) will be increased by 1.7% effective from Monday, 5 April 2021. This is a one-year deal and the next planned pay negotiation would be to review rates of pay to apply from April 2022. 

The results of the Pay Referendum were YES 68.42% and NO 31.58%.

As part of the pay talks at the beginning of the year we addressed legacy issues and a proposal on harmonisation of rates between ex-Amey personnel and Babcock Rail rates following the CP6 transfer was accepted by ballot in June and this will, now also be implemented.

We also looked for the EM grade to also be in receipt of this pay offer (EM grades are not covered by collective bargaining). The company informed us that a group decision had been made that the EM grade would be offered a pay award of 2% from 1 October with no backdated element (in effect a 1% pay award). When pushed on why the company was differentiating the pay awards, we were told it was a directive from the Group to apply across all the various Babcock companies and therefore out of local management control. 

We have written to the company highlighting our concerns over the unfair and unreasonable treatment of the EM grades around pay. Once again it appears that the default position for the company is when faced with difficulties to hoist the most burden on the EM grade shoulders. The moving away from the custom and practice of applying the same pay award to the collective and EM grades is viewed as deeply cynical and disrespectful considering the extra effort the EM grades put in, often working unpaid overtime and weekends.  

In recent discussions on this issue, the company indicated it will be looking at a review of the EM grade pay and remuneration structure. We have requested the details and timelines of this review. It is crucial that we understand the details of this review to ensure that it delivers on ensuring the EM grade is properly recognised and rewarded for the considerable contribution that they make to Babcock, as this has not been the case the last number of years. 

The RMT have also accepted the pay offer. Our understanding is that the pay award will be applied in the 12 November payroll with the appropriate backdates.