MORE than 1,000 Ford staff have gone out on strike today in a row over pay, according to the Unite union.
Workers have accused the car giant of “refusing to engage in good faith” after controversial tweaks were made to their contracts.
More than 1,000 Ford workers have gone out on strike today, the union representing them has claimed[/caption]
Ford UK, which operates a number of offices and factories across the country, has been locked in discussions with the union for months.
Its members began what it called “industrial action short of strikes” back in August, but have now opted for a full walkout.
The row centres on the firm’s decision to make administrative staff’s pay 100% performance-related from next year.
There are also disputes over end-of-year pay packages and potential changes to sick pay.
Unite called on the company to give staff a permanent pay rise, but Ford has offered a one-time payment instead, which it called “fair and balanced”.
It is not clear what changes are being made to the sickness policy, but it is understood that the previous arrangement allowed for up to two years of full pay and that the absence rate among workers was around 2%.
Administrative workers will be on strike for 24 hours from this morning.
And managers are continuing their own industrial action over the performance-linking proposal.
Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, said: “The only reason for this is corporate greed.
“The company’s appalling treatment of our members has simply made them more determined to fight against these cruel and unnecessary changes and for a fair pay rise.”
The union said that more than 1,000 of its members would walk out across five sites: Dunton, Stratford, Dagenham, Daventry and Halewood.
But Ford called that number “speculative” and insisted that “core operations” would remain unaffected.
The strike will also not affect Ford dealers, which are independent and use their own staff, the firm said.
A spokesperson for the company said: “Considering the overall competitiveness of our General Salary Roll employee pay and benefits package, the company’s final offer of a 5% total pay increase for 2023/24 is fair and balanced.
“We will continue to engage with Unite and our valued employees and endeavour to resolve the matter.”
It comes after a rival carmaker revealed that it would shut at least three of its factories and lay off tens of thousands of workers.
