Action follows wage offer rejection 

Unite the union can confirm that its members based at Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) will begin strike action tomorrow (13 September) following the rejection of a wage offer. 

The first round of strike action at the bus manufacturing company based in Camelon and Larbert will finish on 16 September at 23.59 hours.

The trade union can further confirm that there will be a second round of strike action starting on 3 October which will continue each day up to 14 October when the action will conclude at 23.59 hours.

Unite members employed by ADL voted to take strike action last month after the workforce rejected an initial 4 per cent pay offer. The company subsequently proposed a 4 per cent offer from April to October, which would then increase to 6.6 per cent from October. 

The latest offer has been rejected by Unite on the grounds it represents a significant real terms pay cut. Unite represents around 400 coach builders and spray painters at ADL.

The broader measure of inflation (RPI) has soared to hit a forty-year high of 12.3 per cent with warnings that headline inflation (CPI) could top 18 per cent by the start of next year.

Unite is highlighting ADL’s ‘healthy order book’ as last year the company won contracts to manufacture 172 green buses through a second round of the Scottish Government’s £40.5 million Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme (SULEBS). 

ADL further benefited from the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB). Phase one of the fund announced this year awarded £62 million to nine bus operators and local authorities with a further 137 buses to be built by ADL in Camelon.

Pat Egan, Unite industrial officer said; “Unite has engaged ADL in direct talks for months now to find a resolution to this pay dispute. However, despite having a very healthy order book, the company refuse to make our members an offer which their world class work deserves. Our members have been forced by the company to take this strike action and they will continue to take action until the company sees sense.”

In 2019, Canadian based New Flyer Industries (NFI) Group acquired ADL. The Scottish operation consists of the Camelon manufacturing site and the Larbert corporate headquarters. 

ENDS 

Notes to Editor

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Unite Scotland is the country’s biggest and most diverse trade union with around 150,000 members. The union is led in Scotland by Pat Rafferty.