GMB have jointly with other trade unions been engaged in negotiations with The Huntercombe Group regarding the 2021-22 pay offer. We submitted a pay claim on behalf of our members in January 2021, but due to COVID and the recent TUPE transfer, negotiations have unfortunately been delayed.  We have since been in numerous discussions with the company over the past few months to negotiate an improvement to pay, terms & conditions.  All parties have entered these discussions in a respectful and constructive way.  The document below outlines the details of the final offer being made by Huntercombe, which can be summarised as follows:

• Grades 1 to 3 to receive an average of a 2% increase.
• In some services this will be lower because the pay rate had been increased further in 2020 or because of previously applied retention premiums. Full details can be seen in Appendix 1 of the attached document.
• Those staff who are 'red circled' will receive no pay increase this year, and our colleagues at the top of grade will receive only the inflationary increase.
• Just under 75% of staff are eligible for the inflationary rate increase of between 1% and 2.5% along with a further 1 to 2% increase as part of their pay point review.
• Therefore, the total pay increase available (inflation and pay point increase) in Grade 1 is 3.2%, Grade 2 is between 2.2% and 3.4%, Grade 3 is 3.1% and 4.5% with Grades 4 to 7 generally receiving 2.1% to 2.2%.
• Increasing company sick pay for those who have 5 service years or more by one further week.
• Huntercombe have agreed to sign up to an implement the TUC Menopause campaign.

You can see the full breakdown of what this pay rise would mean for you HERE.

We now need to ask you to give us your views on the pay offer.  As this offer is lower than the GMB Pay Campaign of a NMW of £12 per hour, GMB are not able to recommend this offer, however we believe that this is the best that can be done through negotiation and now ask GMB members to consider the offer made by The Huntercombe group.

Please complete the ballot form below ASAP and no later than 5pm TOMORROW (Friday 6^th August).  We have already carried out a workplace ballot but did not manage to see you. Anyone who has already voted in person is not eligible to vote again, so is not going to receive this link!

Increases in pay will not be paid until there is a conclusion to the pay consultation and negotiation process, but all increases will be backdated to 1st April in any event.