Did you get a pay cut this year?

Over the past few weeks everyone in Vodafone should have sat down with their line manager and been given a letter explaining what you will earn next year. If you don’t like it in most cases it’s tough luck because there is no room for negotiating on pay in Vodafone, you get what your given.

The government says that inflation is currently running at 4.3%, but the price of essentials including food, heating and petrol is going through the roof. The cost of living for most of us is increasing at the fastest rate in decades. It is clear that anyone who received a pay rise was less than 4.3% will find their salary won’t go as far this year as it did last.

But many in Vodafone are finding that their pay is now frozen due to the “global banding” system introduced a couple of years ago. When it was introduced workers were explicitly told that it was not a pay cap, but now they are told that due to global banding their pay rise this year is zero.

Connect members have told us that few of those who were lucky enough to get a pay rise got more than 3%.

For one group of Vodafone workers this year’s pay round was different. In Regional Operations more than 50% of staff have joined the union, so they now have the benefit of collective bargaining. For the first time in the UK Vodafone had to negotiate with a union on pay. This puts Connect members in this area in a far stronger position. The union negotiated an acceptable proposal with the company and members had the final say in a ballot. This only applies to one area of the business at the moment but with your support Connect intends to extend this for next year’s pay round.

This won’t happen unless you do something about it. To form a collective bargaining unit 50% of workers in the area of the business need to be members. We have strong membership in all areas of Technology, Customer Services and Retail, but we need more. If you’re not already a member then join today, if you are then talk to your colleagues and make sure they’re aware of the benefits of joining Connect. You can join online or by calling the membership hotline on 020 8971 6000. There is a special reduced rate for Vodafone members in areas where Connect isn’t yet a recognised union. So make your voice heard in Vodafone and join your union today.