Consolidated award, or pay plus a bonus?


There is a divide amongst the latest crop of settlements monitored by the LRD Payline database, between consolidated awards that come within shouting distance of current inflation rates, and those that include unconsolidated lump sum payments to boost pay packets. In some cases, as we have previously reported, deals like this have been applied in advance of the next planned settlement.


The biggest recent percentage pay awards have included Wincanton (Brockworth) on 16.8% for warehouse workers (plus a 10% increase in shift premiums); GXO Logistics (Tamworth) on 12% for drivers, with up to 19% for specific grades and the restoration of a 10% differential between dayshift and nightshift; chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebut (Banbury) in a straight 10%; haulage company McPherson Ltd (Aberlour) on 9.4% (with a 15.5% increase in the overtime rate); and into-plane fuelling company North Air on 9%.


In what could be described as the unconsolidated “camp”, recent deals included Kraft Heinz (Wigan) on 5.5% plus two one-off payments totalling £1,200; industrial and electronic products stockist RS Components on 6% plus £300 and a bonus payment of £795, despite not making its targets; BAe Land Systems on 6.75% plus £1,000; Muntons plc on 4.5% plus £413; and Encompass Digital Media