All Cardiff University staff will receive a £250 ‘thank you’ bonus for their work during the pandemic

For their efforts of working during the pandemic, every member of staff at Cardiff University is to receive a £250 bonus.

Vice Chancellor Professor Colin Riordan wrote a letter praising the “extraordinary and selfless efforts of colleagues across the university” displayed this year after a “uniquely difficult year” for all staff.

This payment was decided after intervention from a union representative whilst discussing outstanding performance.

The letter also says: “just as the pandemic […] affects the whole world, it has affected all our staff.”

“We were persuaded that a one-off payment to all staff would be the right response and that £250 per person, paid at the end of the month, would be an appropriate amount.”

This because earlier in the pandemic, it appeared the university would face “financial disaster” so, in efforts to avoid this, promotion processes and outstanding performance schemes were put on hold. But these have now been reintroduced.

Professor Riordan added: “Enormous credit is due to Ms Katie Hall, Unison Branch Secretary, who wrote to me at the beginning of this month arguing that while OCAS and Celebrating Excellence are very welcome schemes, all staff who have worked on campus (referring to residences staff in particular) have gone more than the extra mile, for a much longer period than originally envisaged, and that in the interests of natural justice they should all be rewarded.

“We encountered some difficulty in distinguishing between the types of staff who should be in receipt of such a one-off payment

“Many academic staff have come on to campus in order to teach of course, and when working from home many people have had to juggle childcare and home schooling with long days on Zoom.”

Riordan said that staff will receive this payment at the end of July.

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