8:47 am, July 16, 2024
Office workers at Ford are voting on whether to take industrial action as a pay dispute with the automotive giant rumbles on.
Around 1,200 office staff are currently being balloted by trade union, Unite, over whether or not to walk out on strike, following an ‘unprecedented breakdown in industrial relations’.
The ‘white collar workers’ are based at the Ford Motor Company’s UK sites in Dunton, Stratford, Dagenham, Daventry and Halewood.
The ballot will remain open to union members until August 7 with Unite accusing the Blue Oval of ‘corporate greed’.
The latest development comes hot on the heels of 500 Ford managers voting ‘overwhelmingly’ in favour of strike action after rejecting the carmaker’s pay deal.
Unite says that workers have been offered ‘only a performance related merit award, which they are not guaranteed to receive’.
It also claimed that many of Ford’s office workers have been offered a ‘non-consolidated one-off payment for 2024 rather than a pay rise’ and has plans to impose ‘100% performance related pay from 2025’.
The union also believes Ford the outfit is ‘attempting to reduce sick pay and change its collective bargaining agreement with Unite’.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘Morale amongst Ford’s white collar workers is at an all time low and the company is facing an unprecedented breakdown in industrial relations.
‘Ford has caused this by offering real terms pay cuts disguised as increases, as well as by its attacks on terms and conditions and collective bargaining.
‘Ford’s behaviour throughout both sets of pay negotiations has been atrocious. It is an extremely wealthy company and its only motivation is greed. Unite will be supporting our members 100% in fighting back.’
In response to the ballot, Ford said its offer was ‘fair and balanced’ but Unite accused the automotive giant of ‘bullying’.
A spokesman for Ford said: ‘We will continue to engage with Unite and our employees on a fair and balanced offer that reflects an already highly competitive pay and benefits package.’
Alison Spenser-Scragg, Unite national officer, added: ‘In response to the pay disputes, Ford has engaged in a campaign of bullying and threats against these workers. Its tactics have not only failed but strengthened our members’ resolve.
‘There is a strong possibility of coordinated strike action involving over 1,800 workers unless Ford scraps its plans and comes back with acceptable offers.’
