Shropshire GKN workers drop strike plans
Wednesday 23rd June 2010, 3:15PM BST.
MORE THAN 500 workers have dropped plans to strike at one of Telford’s biggest manufacturing plants, it was revealed today.
Workers at GKN Sankey voted by three to one to accept a revised pay deal from bosses that will see staff given a two-and-a-half per cent pay rise, which will be backdated from January.
An overtime ban was introduced last week at the car manufacturing plant in Hadley and industrial action seemed likely after workers voted by ballot to reject an offer of a two per cent rise and a cash lump sum.
But following a week of further discussions between representatives from the Unite and GMB unions and directors a compromise has now been found.
Stefan Blasczyk, regional officer for the union Unite, said: “We held a lot of talks on Thursday and Friday last week and then on Monday at 6am we consulted with the shop floor and began balloting.”
Majority
After two days of voting, which ended yesterday, about 350 of the 500 strong workforce accepted the new deal.
Mr Blasczyk added: “We were looking for a two and a half per cent increase on the basic rate of pay and allowances and that is what we got. That was accepted by a three to one majority in favour and because of that now all the industrial action that we had planned will now cease.
“We were in joint negotiations with GMB and the collective unions now look forward to working with the employer to develop and grow the site. It has taken about six months and we are pleased it has all been completed.
“Our main goal now is to make sure we draw investment into the site and develop it in any way we can.”
Paul Richards, human resources director with GKN Sankey, said the company did not want to comment on the pay deal.
By Jason Lavan
UK News
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the audacity of these PRIVATE SECTOR WORKERS with their golden hellos and bonuses and pensions – strike in a recession how very dare they – theyre lucky to be in jobs right now – its an outrage sack them all!
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Is this the sort of pain that public sector workers are supposed to be sharing?
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no doubt they are in a trade union, i blame them for most things in this country, we should make them illegal, public or private, the workers of this country are overpaid and lazy, look to China and India or the polish immigrants to see real graft which is needed to make your economy grow
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these lazy slackers getting upset at a 2% pay rise should try working in the public sector where were getting a real terms pay cut for the next 2 years
i say cut their pensions and see how they like living in poverty in their retirement that will teach them!
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‘draw investment into the site’
Yeah, because people want to buy from a company where the workers have temper tantrums when they can’t have what they want
Take your business elsewhere folks in case the workers can’t deliver because someone threw their toys out of the pram.
Alternatively let them strike Sankeys, then in 6 months make a third redundant because you can’t afford to keep them on due to the money you lost in the strikes.
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