Victory after insulting offer

When management of Trelleborg, a Swedish-owned engineering firm, offered its Leicester workers in Beymont Leys a 2p an hour pay rise, the Unite members had decided they had had enough.

 
Over 160 workers, who specialise in manufacturing specialist parts for trains, construction vehicles and boats, took strike action last week, from Wednesday through Friday.

 
Further industrial action was planned this week but was called off after a settlement was reached yesterday (Tuesday November 25) and unanimously accepted by members following a ballot.

 
The original offer – a pay rise from 1.5 per cent to 1.7 per cent – angered the factory’s workers, who argued that they had already suffered a pay freeze last year, while at the same time, the firm had just secured a lucrative contract with Derby train maker Bombardier.

 
Trelleborg management had also threatened to do away with shop floor workers’ £600 annual bonus, meaning the supposed “pay rise” would amount to a decided pay cut.

 
To add insult to injury, the company had reported record profits in 2013.

 
But the new deal agreed yesterday demonstrates the extent to which coordinated strike action can make a remarkable difference.

 
In the new pay offer, Trelleborg’s Leicester workers will get a 16p an hour pay increase, backdated from January 1 of this year. They will also receive a one-off £300 payment at Christmas.

 
For 2015, workers will receive a 19p per hour pay rise, with additional payments at Christmas based on CPI. Workers may also receive a retention bonus of up to ÂŁ900.

 
Unite regional officer Lakhy Mahal said Trelleborg workers were delighted by the victory.

 
“Our organised efforts just go to show what solid resolve from workers standing firmly together can accomplish,” he said.

 
“We had strong support from the community as well, in addition to encouragement from our sister unions in Sweden and the United States,” he added. “Their messages of solidarity helped us to keep going strong while we were out in the bitter cold over the last week.”

 
Mahal said he was happy that management “took a common sense approach” to the settlement.

 
“We very much look forward to working closely with Trelleborg management going forward,” he added.