Spirit Group plans to merge employment contracts spark staff fury
Proposals to replace dozens of existing Spirit Group employment contracts with a single set of terms and conditions have been condemned by staff who fear it will leave them worse off.
Spirit's plan, labelled 'One Team', will consolidate 27 employment contracts into one. However, several Spirit Group pub managers have contacted The Publican to voice their concerns, with some fearing a significant cut in sick pay under any new deal.
But Spirit, which is owned by Punch Taverns, said its proposal was a "very competitive package", and some staff would see their conditions improve.
The changes were necessary to reduce the "complexity involved in managing and interpreting a significant number of different sets of terms and conditions", the group added.
A Spirit spokeswoman told The Publican the group had consulted a "small percentage of its pub employees" over the changes in an effort to "engage in meaningful dialogue with a view to reaching agreement on the implementation of a fair and equitable set of terms and conditions for all our employees that reflect our commitment to our One Team values".
"We have also implemented a detailed communication plan to inform affected employees of the proposed changes and how to communicate their feedback," she said.
"As part of our commitment to our One Team value, the terms and conditions will apply to all pub employees. As a result of this consultation process, some employees will receive improved terms and conditions."
But there clearly will be losers too, with some employees set to have their sick pay slashed from 12 months to 13 weeks, with any extra payments coming at the discretion of a local area manager.
One Spirit staff member, who did not wish to identify himself, said the changes will hit him hard.
"I am appalled with the way Spirit is treating me," he said. "I have given many years of loyal service to the various companies that Spirit has taken over and always dedicated myself to making as much profit for the company as possible."
A goodwill payment of £750 to surrender his terms and conditions was "a disgrace", he added, and "makes a mockery of the years of service I have put in. I feel let down by a company that doesn't value its people. So much for 'one team'."
On the question of sick pay being reduced, Spirit responded by saying that it continued to offer its managers "an extensive benefits package that includes sick pay, bonuses, the chance to join our award winning Share Incentive Plan (SIP) and private healthcare".
On one-off payments to managers, the group said: "Through consultation with our Sounding Board representatives, we committed to offer goodwill payments to a small number of managers."
