Be careful with your figures. The beauty of 2 year deals, especially with staggered increments, is that the bean-counters can sell them a hundred different ways to a hundred different people. i.e. a 1.8% increase in month 24 may be good, but it doesn't equate to a 1.8% increase in overall salary. But, this does mean 2004 increases start at a 1.8% higher launch position than they would do otherwise! (Confused? Exactly the reason why 2 year deals should be avoided!!!)
My own calculations: (for what they're worth).
Year 1 = 2.7% increase in gross annual salary (compared with year 1 gross annual salary without any deal)
Year 2 = 5.4% increase in gross annual salary (compared to year 1 gross annual salary with deal)
HOWEVER! Those NOT at the top of the scale will get a greater overall increase in year 2's gross annual salary compared to year 1's (with deal) as they get the approx 4% increase in April due the extra scale point, giving a year 2 on year 1 increase in gross annual salary of approximately 9.6%.
(Do the sums just by taking gross monthly salary Jan '02 and apply the deal to it. See if you like the colour of YOUR money by end '03. But be careful...one man's 9.6% is another's 5.4%!)
What ticks me off most is the fact that we're having to do this kind of mathematical jiggery-pokery in the first place just to try to find out exactly whats on offer.
All I wanted was a ONE YEAR deal with a 5% increase in basic pay and allowances and WITHOUT STRINGS! The percentage aside, those, like me, who attended the TU meetings at ScOACC made it perfectly clear to the reps that we were not going to accept a two year deal. The reasons being as outlined above, uncertainty over traffic projections and the fact that if we did it once, this would then become how things would be done in future...every deal a 2 year deal!
Now what do I have? Another two year deal, like the one I rejected last time, but now with some clever accounting tricks to add a % here and there and a heap of strings to do with over-time/time-off-in-leui/annual leave/claw-back days/buy-back days/opm etc.etc.etc.
What a complete and utter ****ing can of worms!!!
SO PROSPECT, WHAT WAS SO DIFFICULT ABOUT NEGOTIATING A 1 YEAR DEAL WITH A 5% INCREASE EFFECTIVE 01 JAN, WITHOUT STRINGS?
Now, will I hold my breath, or not...
