More than 150 workers employed at a Halewood factory producing dashboards for JLR have voted overwhelmingly to strike over job cuts and a 19 per cent attack on their pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union said today. 

The workers’ employer, IAC, is planning to slash 87 jobs and to remove shift premiums and reduce working hours for remaining staff. 

100 per cent yes vote

The workers recorded a 100 per cent yes vote in favour of industrial action on a turnout of over 90 per cent, underlining the anger the workforce has for the company’s proposals.

American-owned IAC brings in billions of pounds per year. The company recorded global revenues of £2.4 billion in 2021, including £221 million from the UK. 

The workers are demanding that all redundancies are voluntary and that their pay is not reduced.

Money-grab

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “IAC is being entirely opportunistic. Its finances are more than healthy. It is clear these plans are an unnecessary money-grab against staff, put forward because they mistakenly think the workforce is vulnerable.

“Unite always defends our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and IAC’s workers have the full support of the union in taking strike action.”

The dates for strike action will be announced in the coming days.

JLR disruption

Unite regional officer Mike Gaskell said: “Strikes will undoubtedly cause disruption to JLR’s production but that is entirely the fault of IAC for shamelessly attacking our members’ jobs and pay. The company needs to give cast iron guarantees that any redundancies will be voluntary and take the needless reduction in pay off the table.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications officer Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235 or 0203 371 2067.

Email: [email protected]

Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.