Ford facing potential strike of 3,000 UK white-collar workers

The emblem of automotive producer Ford is pictured in Inwood, New York, on February 5, 2024. 

Charly Triballeau | AFP | Getty Images

LONDON — Ford was warned on Wednesday that greater than 3,000 white-collar employees throughout the U.Ok. might launch industrial motion after union members rejected a pay provide from the U.S. automotive large.

Unite, one of many U.Ok.’s largest commerce unions, mentioned though affords put ahead by Ford for salaried workers and managers had been rejected by greater than 90% amongst each units of employees, the corporate had to date refused to come back to the negotiating desk.

The union warned Ford that if it didn’t attend negotiations through Acas, the U.Ok.’s impartial conciliation service, it might start the method of balloting its members on potential strike motion. This would happen at Ford sides throughout the nation, from Liverpool to Essex.

Unite characterised the pay provide from Ford for most of the salaried workers as “an unconsolidated one-off payment of five per cent of their salary for 2024, meaning their actual wages will not increase this year.”

Members in administration grade positions had been allegedly supplied a “performance related bonus payment, which provides no guarantee of a cost-of-living increase.”

Workers throughout the U.Ok.’s private and non-private sectors have walked out lately because the nation’s inflation-fueled value of dwelling disaster hammered actual wages and family payments.

Ford mentioned it has been in pay negotiations with worker representatives because the finish of final 12 months, as its earlier two-year deal ends.

“Whilst trade union members have voted internally at a members vote to reject the company’s offer, Ford remains willing to continue dialogue through our established bargaining frameworks on the fair and balanced offer made,” the corporate mentioned.

Unite additionally claimed that Ford had proposed adjustments to the present absence processes, regardless of acknowledging that workers attendance was not an issue.

“Ford is acting out of corporate greed with its offers of one-off payments and variable bonuses. It is extremely profitable and can fully afford to put forward proper no strings pay offers for these workers,” Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham mentioned in a press release.

“Unite does not tolerate attacks on our members’ jobs, pay or conditions and Ford’s salaried and managerial staff have their union’s full support.”

Ford final week reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and posted full-year adjusted earnings earlier than curiosity and taxation, or EBIT, of $10.42 billion on income of $176.2 billion.

“Ford’s workforce has rightly rejected these unacceptable pay offers,” Unite National Officer Allison Spencer-Scragg mentioned.

“Anger amongst our members is such that if Ford continues to refuse to attend Acas talks, Unite will have no choice but to begin proceedings to hold a formal ballot for industrial action. I urge Ford to reconsider its position.”