Posted on: 4 November 2024

Dear Member,

Our ballot has concluded and a majority of GMB members have voted to reject the pay offer presented, it was made clear on the ballot that the next likely step if it was rejected would be to enter into a dispute which could include industrial action.

When canvassing members it is clear that their key issues were:

• The 2024 offer needs to be improved

• The hourly rate being below the NMW – members feel very strongly that topping up wages with attendance bonuses and the like is not right. The knock on impact on shift premiums, sick pay and pensionable earnings is huge. This coupled with the budget announcement this week that National Minimum Wage will rise by a further 6.7% in April 2025 means that members are no longer willing to wait for this issue to be resolved.

We have written to the business telling them the above and I will be meeting with your reps shortly to discuss next steps. In our agreement there is a step before industrial action where we use ACAS to try and mediate a solution, if this is not possible then it is highly likely that we will end up in a dispute with Wienerberger over pay which includes industrial action.

At this stage it is important to stay in touch with your rep to keep up to date with what is happening and to make sure we have your most up to date information, this includes:

1. Workplace (which factory you're currently at is really important)
2. Job title
3. Home address (we have to do industrial action ballots via post)
4. Contact information (we will send emails and texts letting members know latest developments, make sure you get yours)

Ring your local GMB office to check if you think your information might be out of date or tell your rep.

If there isn't a rep in your workplace or on your shift consider volunteering to be a spokesperson/contact so we can make sure all members are getting their information quickly and their questions answered.

In solidarity ,

Charlotte Brumpton-Childs

National Officer