The union issued a mandate last week advising members to use the Retail Price Index (RPI) of 5.1% as a benchmark for negotiations, following BPIF members’ refusal to negotiate over a national pay agreement for the second year running.

However, printers of all sizes have been quick to dismiss the claims, owing to the volatile state of the industry, while the BPIF claimed the move was "simply irresponsible".

BPIF director of corporate affairs Andy Brown said: "If you are a responsible partner organisation to the print industry it isn’t helpful to make claims like this. It shows a lack of understanding of the state that the industry is in."

This was echoed by Optichrome chairman Ted Stephens, who said pay rises of any amount were unlikely, while 5.1% was completely unrealistic.

He added: "As much as any good business would love to pay more, it is impossible in the present environment. Sadly any increase would come at the expense of jobs. I think most people would rather have safe jobs than an increase in pay."
Benson Group managing director Mark Kerridge added that the industry was still nervous, so even businesses that felt they had turned the corner would think before implementing pay increases.

"We are in the early stages of recovery from the recession; we could well be entering a double-dip. That will affect how industries approach this year – each business understands its own ability to pay," he said.

Communisis chief executive Andy Blundell  said the company had already completed 2011 pay negotiations at a local level across the majority of its sites. While he declined to reveal the increases involved, he said: "Our experience is that most employees accept that the business will adjust pay realistically, given the relative business performance and the broader market context."

BCQ joint managing director Richard Knowles said that the request was "understandable" because of increases in the cost of living. However, he added that printers were also wrestling with costs.

He said: "Printers’ margins remain under unprecedented client pressure, raw material costs continue to rise and any possible rationalisation of production processes or staff numbers will probably already have taken place. It is for every printer to assess their individual situation and to respond appropriately."

The Finishing Company managing director Andy Fox said that while he would love to be in a position to give pay increases, because that would mean profits were much higher, the market realities meant this was impossible.

"I cannot believe people think there is money to be handed out. Everyone knows the industry is terrible at the moment – it is about survival. I couldn’t afford to give my staff a rise, let alone 5.1%. I think the union needs to understand business a bit better.

"If companies are not making money, how can they pay their staff more? If we are making good profits we will share it with our workforce."

UNITE PAY DISPUTE
March 2011 Unite tells members to ask for RPI pay increase of 5.1%
February 2011 BPIF members inform Unite there will be no pay negotiation for foreseeable future
March 2010 Unite tells its members to ask for RPI increase of 3.7%
February 2010 negotiations over 2010 pay increase canned before they begin
February 2009 BPIF and Unite fail to agree on a pay deal for 2009/10
February 2008 BPIF and Unite agree national pay increase; this would turn out to be the last deal of its kind to date