GMB members at Somers forge are set for strike action tomorrow (17th December).
The union has also announced further strike dates on 21st December 2021, and the 5th,12th, 21st and 24th January 2022.
The move comes after members rejected the latest pay deal of 4% over two years, but with the company refusing to backdate the award to the pay anniversary of April.
As a result, the deal would have seen members lose six months of higher pay.
The dispute began after the a previous two-year deal was withdrawn with only the first year of the deal was honoured, which has left the employee’s with little trust in their employer.
Whilst the company have told the workforce they couldn’t afford to backdate to April, but recently they have been quoted as a 'thriving' company. [1]
Somers Forge manufactures components for the defence industry and is a supplier to the MOD.
Russell Farrington, GMB regional organiser said:
“Nobody expects that you agree a new rate, but then only get if for half the time.
“No-one wants to go out on strike in the middle of winter, but at the end of the day we’re talking about a significant amount of money that the company is trying to withhold here.
“Rather than trying to pull a fast one, the company should come back to the table and we’ll hammer this out together.”
