Capita staff get a pre-Christmas lump sum

Staff at Royal Mail Capita received a lump sum last month in what the CWU communication workers' union called a "creative" agreement to get money to its members in time for Christmas.

All administrative and field workers who were transferred to Capita in 2002 under the TUPE regulations, when the company won the contract to administer television licensing, received an unconsolidated payment of £530 in their December salaries under the agreement.

And the lump sum, which the CWU says is worth "significantly more than inflation" for all grades, will be consolidated into basic pay from 1 October this year.

The union's members approved the deal by a nine-to-one margin in a ballot with 67% turnout.