Ford UK’s Unite union employees are to strike for two days from 18 June in protest at what they claim is the automaker’s plan to close a final salary scheme to new starters – a move the manufacturer strenuously refutes.
 
Staff voted by 67% on a 100% turnout for strike action on 22 May, but the union agreed to postpone announcing the ballot result to the public to allow further negotiations with the company to take place.

Unite says it has been attempting to reach a deal on behalf of 2,500 Ford UK staff for “months,” but claims Ford UK is still insisting on closing the final salary scheme to new starters.

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The union maintains this is the “thin end of the wedge” and will lead to the ultimate closure of the company’s final salary pension scheme for all Ford staff.

” Our staff members will not stand by and allow Ford to create a two-tier workforce on pay and pensions,” said Unite national officer, Roger Maddison. “To date Ford has failed to make any genuine attempts to resolve this dispute. Unless there is a last minute change of heart from the company Ford faces a national strike this Monday.

“We fiercely oppose the closure of Ford’s final salary scheme to new entrants  because we believe ultimately Ford will try to close the entire scheme. Ford must prove it is committed to the UK by investing in its UK workforce. The UK has the best sales in Europe, there’s no excuse to attack the terms and conditions of a new generation of Ford staff. 

“The company is also refusing to back away from creating a two tier workforce by making new starters work for less money for doing the same job as existing staff. This is totally unacceptable.”

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Strike action will take place at Ford’s manufacturing engine/stamping and diesel design centre at Dagenham; the manufacturing engine plant, Bridgend; the transmission plant at, Halewood; the parts distribution centre, Daventry; the Transit assembly plant, Southampton; Ford of Britain headquarters, Warley and the design and technical centre, Dunton, Basildon.  

Ford has previously said it “categorically confirmed it had no plans to close its pension funds to existing members and that the funds remain open to existing members.”