Capita Members Update February 2018

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Capita Members Update - February 2018

This is an update for Prospect members working in Capita, both on the O2 and Tesco Mobile contracts.



Capita Pay Talks

The Union has opened pay talks on both the contracts held by Capita. Prospect submitted the respective pay claims to the business at the end of November and had hoped that negotiations could be conducted before the 1 January settlement date. However, this was not possible as the company was not ready to begin talks until the end of January. Nevertheless, any rise will be backdated to 1 January 2018 once agreement is reached with the company.

Capita O2

Members will recall that last year the union was able to negotiate a 2% rise in the pay bill with Capita O2, which was distributed according to a matrix linked to performance and an individual’s position within the pay range for their grade. For this year’s pay award the union has stressed the need for salaries to keep pace with inflation, particularly given the phenomenon across the economy where real term wages are falling. The union doesn’t underestimate the challenge for Capita in terms of profitability, but it is our members who have a key role in delivering a successful business. Furthermore, it is important that managers are sufficiently incentivised to carry out their roles. Quite rightly adviser pay is being raised to keep up with changes to the National Living Wage and local market pressures. However, it is crucial that a reasonable differential is maintained between the adviser and managerial pay rates.

Tesco Mobile

Prospect have had a similar conversation to the one outlined above with the Tesco Mobile contract management team in respect of inflationary pressures and the need for members pay to keep pace with price rises. Last year members received a 1.5% award for nine months, effectively meaning the rise was worth 2% over the year. Furthermore, that award was across the board and not determined by a matrix, as had been the case in past years. Prospect have informed Tesco Mobile that we are prepared to listen to any proposals the business may have around distribution of the award this year. Prospect were also heartened to hear that the company was top-rated amongst mobile providers and customer satisfaction and colleague engagement scores were both at a very high-level. Once again the union have stressed that our members, who have a key delivery role within the business, must be suitably rewarded for their efforts.

Capita Share Price

The past few days have seen a significant fall in the share price of Capita and a great deal of comment in the media. Clearly, the media narrative, in the light of the collapse of Carillion, is very much linked to the outsourcing of public services. However, whilst Capita does have a number of government contracts our members in O2 and Tesco Mobile are very much located in the private sector. Prospect will be seeking assurances that what is happening at a corporate level will not impinge upon the pay discussions we are currently having at a contract level. Nevertheless, it is now more important than ever that managers in Capita join Prospect. The union not only provides collective representation but can also provide individual support and advice. If you know of colleagues who are not members of the union then now would be a more than appropriate time to urge them to join. Indeed, for every member you recruit you can claim a £10 voucher or donate to charity under our member-recruit-member scheme.

Member Benefits

As a member of Prospect you are entitled to a number of additional benefits such as:

  • A 24-hour legal helpline on non-work matters which offers advice and representation for personal injury and accidents outside of work;
  • A wills service – free simple wills or special rates for more complex wills;
  • Personal Injury scheme - Prospect’s personal injury scheme provides members with expert advice, and where appropriate, representation through our solicitors. Unlike many other firms, by bringing your claim through Prospect’s solicitors you will always retain 100% of your damages payments;
  • Career and personal development - Prospect offers a range of free and low-cost personal and career development resources, including access to www.careersmart.org.uk which offers impartial information on a range of subjects, including career progression, pensions, self-employment and CV writing;
  • Higher education discounts - A number of universities and colleges offer course discounts for union members. These include Birkbeck, University of London and the National Extension College;

And many more ranging from dental plans to discounts on Virgin Experience Days. To view all of our member benefits please click here. Please note that you will need to be logged in to the website to view the full details.