Ellesmere Port investment call

Unite called on PSA to repay the commitment of car workers at Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant with investment in new models at the plant after the workforce overwhelmingly backed a pay deal and a number of ‘items for change’.

Just over three quarters (76 per cent) of Unite members backed the deal which will see workers receive a £750 lump sum and an additional 1.5 per cent pay rise in January 2019. The pay deal mirrors the one that was overwhelmingly backed by van workers at Vauxhall’s Luton plant last week.

As part of the pay deal car workers will see a 30 per cent reduction in banked hours, meaning it will take workers two-thirds of the time it currently does to pay back hours that are banked during plant shutdowns.

Items for change include the introduction of PSA work standards and the introduction of an autonomous work concept which brings together maintenance engineers and production workers in to one team.

“Unite’s Vauxhall members at Ellesmere Port, like their colleagues at Luton’s van plant, have overwhelmingly backed the pay deal,” said Unite general secretary Len McCluskey.

“I’d like to thank our convenors and members for all the work they have done,” he added. “Our continued focus is to secure investment from PSA in new models at Ellesmere Port and guarantee the plant’s long-term future.

“Time and again Ellesmere Port’s top class workforce has shown its commitment to the plant. PSA must now repay the workforce’s commitment by moving forward with investment in new models at Ellesmere Port as a matter of urgency.”