Staff anger at RAC centre pay shake-up

BOSSES at the RAC have defended their decision to change the way they pay staff at their call centre in South Gloucestershire.

Just under 200 people work at the call centre and one insider has claimed wages are being slashed by bosses in an attempt to save cash.

The worker, who asked not to be named, told The Post: "The RAC at its Bradley Stoke offices is planning to cut its staff's wages by between 15 and 28 per cent, as it terminates their contracts and re-employs them.

"They will not be offered any compensation and not even offered redundancy.

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"People have been told to just accept the changes in conditions or leave.

"This has come as the RAC's owners, the Carlyle group, cream off dividend from the firm's profits."

A spokesman for the RAC said the organisation was introducing a system where people were paid based on their sales performance.

The spokesman said: "The RAC is making some important changes to its contact centre in Bradley Stoke to better serve existing and future RAC members and to give our colleagues an uncapped earnings potential.

"Following initial consultation and negotiations with the union and colleague representatives, the business has announced a future structure and reward model for the sales and service team, which has received positive feedback from colleagues.

"The changes will bring the business in line with similar sales-based roles in the sector.

"The team of 180 colleagues will be supported with: a new coaching strategy to upgrade skills; significantly improved technology which will facilitate sales and bonus opportunities; a new reward package; and revised opening hours of the centre, which will give further enhanced 'on target earnings potential' for the team.

"The RAC will be putting in place a period of pay protection to support the transition to the new reward structure and ongoing protection of key benefits linked to pay.

"This is an important step in modernising and investing in the RAC's call centre and operational capabilities, as well as giving colleagues the opportunity to earn more and better reward their outstanding performance."

The RAC was owned by insurance company Aviva but was sold to American firm the Carlyle Group in a £1.1 billion deal two years ago.