Thousands of workers at Ford-owned SUV maker Land Rover are staging a 24-hour strike in a dispute over pay, the BBC reported.
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About 8,000 downed tools at 0600 GMT Monday, for the first time since 1988, the report said, adding that staff have mounted picket lines outside [the main assembly] plants in Solihull, West Midlands, and [the research and development centre in] Gaydon in Warwickshire.
But Land Rover warned action could put the future of the Solihull plant at risk as it would be “increasingly difficult” to justify new investment, the BBC said.
Last year, Ford-owned Land Rover announced that production of the next generation Freelander, its popular entry-level (and highest volume) model, would be transferred from Solihull to the Jaguar X-type plant at Halewood, near Liverpool, which has spare capacity.
According to the BBC, unions have warned that Land Rover production will be badly hit by the 24-hour walkout begun today – the Solihull factory normally produces 1,000 vehicles a day, 70% of which are exported.
Land Rover reportedly said its offer of a 6.5% pay increase over two years was “significantly” above the rate of inflation and industry settlements in the UK.
But, according to the BBC, the Transport and General Workers’ Union said its members at Land Rover believed the pay offer should be increased to reflect the contribution they have made to the company’s profits.
The report said workers voted heavily against the offer, arguing that the deal would not give them parity with employees in fellow Ford-owned company Jaguar.
The BBC noted that Monday’s strike represents an escalation of industrial action, including an overtime ban in recent weeks and the withdrawal from a flexible working agreement earlier this month.
Duncan Simpson, national official at Amicus, told the BBC: “It’s with reluctance that we’ve moved to strike action but we hope the company will rethink their position and agree to negotiations. We’ve said we are prepared to meet the company at any time without preconditions. The ball is in their court.”
According to the BBC, Land Rover said its workers enjoyed a comprehensive package of employment benefits that placed them at the top of the car industry pay league.
