Like many other employers, Wightlink usually pay their staff on Christmas Eve, to make things that little bit easier over the festival period.
For some of their staff this year, things might be different.
Yesterday Wightlink wrote to their Portsmouth route afloat staff saying that if a December strike is announced, employees won’t be paid until 30 December.
Those who choose to withdraw their labour in protest (strike) will forgo their salary during that period.
An RMT member told VB that he and his colleagues believe Wightlink have done this to apply extra pressure on the staff.
Response from Wightlink
The ferry company told VB, “Wightlink terms and conditions of employment state salaries are paid ‘on or before last date of each calendar month’ and any overtime payments are paid in arrears the following month.”
“Any strike action will affect an employee’s basic pay due in the month of strike as they do not receive salary for any periods that they are on strike.
“In order to ensure that staff receive the correct pay, therefore, we are unable to pay any of our employees who may potentially be on strike during December until the end of the month.”
