Pay Review 2025

UB 03/25

To:  All FSU Members,

       Ulster Bank NI & ROI

       Grades A, B & C – Northern Ireland

       Grades A & B – Republic of Ireland

You will be aware that your Union has been in negotiations for some time now on Pay Review 2025, with previous updates outlining timelines. The talks have been protracted due to the Bank’s reluctance to move sufficiently from their original offer which the Union were not satisfied was acceptable, therefore FSU referred the issue to Third Party Mediation for Hearing. Third Party engagement commenced in January 2025 with a number of lateral and plenary meetings held with NatWest Group.  A Recommendation has now been issued by the Mediator.

While FSU would have preferred a more positive outcome, we must now put the proposal to members for ballot as the pay process is now complete. This set of proposals is the best that could be achieved for members through this process without recourse of industrial action.

Proposed Fixed Pay Matrix 2025

• A fixed matrix for NI and ROI grade A and B colleagues
• A fixed matrix for NI grade C colleagues

The Future of Fixed Pay model allows for 95% of overall pay pot for Grade A & B employees to be distributed as fixed pay through the above matrix and the remaining 5% will be allocated by line managers as a discretionary payment. For Grade C employees 70% is fixed pay through the above matrix, and the remaining 30% is discretionary.  Your line manager will inform you as to what your discretionary payment is if applicable. All pay awards are consolidated under salary.

Underpin

All performing grade A, B and C employees on a matrix will get the improved minimum award of £700/€900 pro rata. 

Salary range changes

Starting salary will increase to £24,525, with the majority of Customer Service roles salary range minimum increased to £25,020. Other grade A salary ranges will see an increase as below.

Most Grade B ranges will also increase in excess of 3.5%.

• The pay deal sees the permanent removal of the Non-Consolidated Cash Payment (NCCP) mechanism. Something FSU has been consistently seeking from the Bank for many years.
• There is now removal of the variable matrix at C grade, which has been a point of consistent feedback from members.
• 60% of employees will receive an increase of 3% or greater.
• All performing employees on a matrix will get a minimum increase of £700/€900 pro rata. 
• Employees recruited during the final quarter of the performance year are not eligible for a pay review, however, they will be brought to the minimum of the new salary range for their role if required.

Member Meetings

FSU will hold a number of online member meetings to discuss the pay proposal and the process to date. We would urge all members to attend if possible.

• Tuesday 11 March 2025 at 12.00 – 12:45 via Teams. Link below to access meeting:

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Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 341 934 588 893

Passcode: K7fB7cz9

• Tuesday 11 March 2025 at 18:30 – 19:15 via Teams. Link below to access meeting:

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Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 339 643 991 007

Passcode: YJ6cg9zW

• Thursday 13 March 2025 at 13:00 – 13:45 via Teams. Link below to access meeting:

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Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 358 277 091 392

Passcode: Qv7fi3zT

We intend to conduct a ballot on the above proposal using a secure online voting site, managed by a specialist e-voting company, Mi-Voice. Balloting will commence on Thursday 13 March 2025, and conclude at 3pm on Monday 24 March, 2025. You will receive an email from Mi-Voice with ballot instructions and a unique voting code, specific to you, with which you can vote.

If you have any queries on the above, please contact your Ulster Bank Sector Committee, details below:

Ulster Bank Sector Committee Members

Mandy La Combre

Senior Industrial Relations Officer