Workers at two North East companies have voted to go on strike because of disputes over pay.
Staff at Wallsend fabrication company WD Close & Sons and North Shields laminate manufacturer Formica have both decided to take industrial action over separate pay disputes.
A picket line has been formed outside WD Close & Sons’ factory Carville Work, with workers now entering their fifth day of protest.
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Trade union GMB, which represents the staff, said that they have been forced to protest because the company has failed to offer its employees a pay rise over the last three years.
Staff also claim that the last time they received a pay rise, the company took away their Christmas bonus.
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WD Close & Sons is currently working on a contract to help build submarines for BAE Systems but the work has been slowed because of the strikes.
Donna Walker, regional organiser at GMB, said: “We have done five days now and the business has said it is stopping work getting out on time. They are not asking for a lot, they are just asking for an offer.”
But despite the delays to the work GMB claims that management at the firm have refused to put any offer forward.
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Ms Walker added: “We haven’t just asked for a percentage on the pay, we have asked: ‘Can you offer anything? Like a Christmas bonus?’ And we asked if he could give the lads more holidays, but the company is not budging.”
WD Close & Sons has been contacted for comment.
Meanwhile staff at North Shields manufacturer Formica have voted to go on strike over their own pay dispute with their employer.
Staff had asked for a pay increase in line with inflation. In response management offered the workers a 1% pay rise and two days holiday over Christmas which would only be available this year.
Union members at both Unite and GMB have voted to reject the offer and take industrial action, with around 94% of GMB’s workers at the factory voting in favour of the strikes.
Since the vote, GMB has contact Formica’s management to offer the chance to renegotiate before strikes go ahead.
GMB’s Micky Hunter said: “I asked that prior to us progressing down a path in relation to taking any action, would you like to get back around the table again as a final chance before we take action? They have acknowledged the request for a meeting an I am waiting for a comment from them.”
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Unite regional officer Steve Cason added: “Trade union members at the Formica Ltd factory in North Shields have voted in favour of official strike action in response to the firm’s management refusing to table a satisfactory pay offer for hardworking and loyal staff.
“The decision to strike is never taken lightly and Unite is hoping to meet Formica’s management as soon as possible to try and resolve the dispute before action is taken that will disrupt the running of the business.”
Formica has been contacted for comment.