Online Tool Helps Energy & Utilities Workers Protect Against Pay Attacks Amid Brexit & Inflation

Phil Black - PII Editor 24/01/2017

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Unite, Britain’s biggest union, has launched a powerful new online tool to help energy and utilities workers across the UK protect themselves from attacks on their pay following the fallout from Brexit, and rising inflation.

Rising inflation following years of price stability, coupled with dire warnings (see notes to editors) that workers would earn less in real wages in 2021 than they did in 2008, means there will undoubtedly be pressure on forthcoming pay rounds.

But Unite has launched a revolutionary online tool for the union’s negotiators which allows them to access a database of pay deals covering hundreds of energy and utilities workplaces across the UK.

Unite is determined to give working people the tools to help them fight for fair pay. Consumer inflation as measured by the Retail Prices Index (RPI) rose to 2.5 per cent in December from 2.2 per cent the previous month.

It is the first time the trade union movement has developed such a comprehensive database of pay deals in order to drive forward a coordinated pay strategy and help protect workers’ pay packets from the potential impact of Brexit and inflation.

The vast majority of pay negotiations between the workforce and management are agreed constructively. But on a small minority of occasions where worker’s pay comes under attack the union has built up a £35 million fund to support workers while on strike.

The new database will give union negotiators unparalleled access to pay data for their region and their industrial sector giving workers more power at the bargaining table with employers. The High Pay Centre think tank recently revealed that top bosses earnt more by midday on Wednesday 4 January than typical workers earn in the entire year.

Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey said: “Unite has launched a powerful new online tool to help energy and utilities workers across the UK protect themselves from inflation, and attacks on their pay following the fallout from the Brexit vote.

“Britain’s richest bosses earnt more in just a few days than typical workers earn in the entire year. In 2017 Unite is determined to give working people the tools to help them fight for fair pay and working conditions.

“The online tool containing the details of thousands of pay deals will give workers in energy and utilities more power during pay negotiations with employers. It is the first time the trade union movement has developed such a comprehensive database of pay deals to help workers drive forward a coordinated pay strategy.”