Deliberately misleading is how I read the letter.
It is a 0.5% increase to the salary scales and everyone goes up a step (except those on the top step who have now had a 0.5% increase in the last 2 years!)
Why it cannot be simply written to be specific is beyond me. He would get a 1 for COMM.
A certain rot seems to have set in here. They are deliberately lowering salaries. Time to cast eyes towards other jobs. We have time, but the writing is on the wall.
As for the "extra mile".....