Boycott NW Benefits Group Dragons Den

PCS is opposed to bonus payments. The union believes that all money for pay should be distributed amongst all staff. Nevertheless, a team bonus scheme has been operating in NW Benefits Group for around 2 years and PCS was consulted about how the money should be distributed.

Under this scheme team members were given bonuses for making suggestions which improved performance. PCS took the view that, until we can get rid of bonus payments altogether, that it was to be welcomed that the criteria for receiving the bonus were objective, transparent and measurable. It was a welcome move away from how the scheme was abused in the past, where managers used the payments to reward favourites.

Preston BC managements 'White Knight, Good Fairy'
Scheme. Yes. It really was called that.

However, following recent management changes in NW Benefits Group we seem to have gone back in time, in more ways than one. Preston Benefit Centre was awarded a bonus for their innovative ‘White Knight, Good Fairy’ scheme (yes, it was really called that!). Which, aside from anything else there are equality issues around the language and the infantalisation of staff. When TU asked for more information about this performance improvement initiative we were informed that it was about staff holding hands and being nice to each other (for one week only).

So it looks like we have gone back to rewarding favourites for nonsensical reasons.