3M pay strike

Workers at dust mask and respirator maker 3M, based in Newton Aycliffe in County Durham, will begin strike action next month in a pay dispute.

The workers, who are members of Unite, will undertake a 24-hour strike on Tuesday, February 13 with a further 24-hour strike taking place on Thursday, February 15. A ban on overtime will take effect from Friday, February 9.

The dispute is a result of the workforce rejecting a 1.5 per cent pay increase for 2017. The proposed pay increase which is just half the rate of inflation follows a series of below inflation pay irises in recent years.

The workforce had voted for strike action before Christmas but the union paused the action in order to allow negotiations, which would avert strike action, to take place. However 3M’s local management has failed to offer any meeting dates or improve the pay offer.

“Workers at 3M are no longer prepared to see their standard of living continue to fall year on year,” said Unite regional officer Mark Sanderson.

“The workplace has co-operated with management in introducing new systems of working, which has resulted in their workload increasing but they feel betrayed that their efforts have not produced a fair pay increase.

“The constant failure to agree decent pay rises has destroyed morale at 3M which is having an effect on productivity,” he added.

“The management has brought this dispute on their own heads. Managers have had every chance of resolving the problem but have chosen not to do so.

“3M’s management need to understand that this dispute will not go away until they offer a fair pay increase for our hardworking members.

“Unite members have been left with no option but to take strike action.”