Newcastle EA Update

We met with Keolis Downer on Wednesday 16 March to report back on the members’ feelings of what they had proposed last Friday 11 March, which was an offer of rolling over the current agreement with a 2% pay rise in the first year, and 2% or WPI (whichever is the greater) in years 2 & 3.

Based on that feedback, Keolis Downer put forward another proposal that would have the agreement roll over for 18 months from November 2021 (expiring May 2023), with a 2% pay increase from November 2021 and 2% or WPI (whichever is the greater) pay increase from November 2022.

Members’ feedback to this INFERIOR offer was that this proposal could have been put forward at the start of negotiations, and not 4 months into them.

Members have clearly stated that if these negotiations are now about pay increases then the financial offer needs to meet the needs of the cost of living. Members also want the union to instigate a protected action ballot to have Keolis Downer take them more seriously in their negotiations.