Ford staff to vote on strike over threat to 1,300 jobs
WORKERS at the Ford engine plant in Bridgend could vote next month to go on strike – as they continue to seek management assurances over the long-term viability of the operation.
Workers will vote whether to go on strike or take industrial action short of striking, according to Unite, one of two unions which represent workers at the factory. It comes after months of anxiety among workers and unions about Ford’s long-term plans for the plant.
In February it was reported that more than 1,300 jobs could go at the plant when production of two engines ends in 2020.
A spokesman for Unite said: “We’re hopeful that the company will see there is a strong sense of urgency from the shopfloor that the company seriously talks with the union about plans to bring longterm work to the plant.”
Union representatives will be meeting with company in the next couple of weeks before any formal ballot takes place. A Ford spokesman said: “We consider any ballot for industrial action to be premature given that the opportunity for productive engagement has been and continues to be readily available.”
Staff at the Ford engine plant in Bridgend are to be balloted on industrial action next month. Workers will vote on whether to go on strike or take industrial action short of striking, according to a spokesperson for Unite, one of two unions which represent workers at the factory.
The ballot will take place within the next few weeks, with the result expected to be announced before the end of May.
It comes after months of anxiety among workers and unions about Ford’s long-term plans for the plant.
In February it was reported that more than 1,300 jobs could go at the plant when production of two engines ends in 2020.
A spokesman for Unite said the vote on industrial action follows a consultative ballot of Ford Bridgend workers.
He said there had been a strong response from members to the consultative ballot, indicating a high level of engagement.
The spokesman added: “We’re hopeful that the company will see there is a strong sense of urgency from the shopfloor that the company seriously talks with the union about plans to bring long-term work to the plant.”
Union representatives will be meeting with the company within the next couple of weeks before any formal ballot takes place.
In the ballot, Bridgend workers will be given a range of options for possible industrial action. Options short of strike action could include an overtime ban or work to rule.
A Ford spokesman said: “As we have consistently stated, Ford remains committed to ongoing constructive dialogue with our union partners and we have proposed a dedicated work stream to examine future business opportunities for the Bridgend operation.
“We consider any ballot for industrial action to be premature, given that the opportunity for productive engagement, in line with established employee relations and working practices, has been and continues to be readily available.”
The problems at the Bridgend factory emerged last autumn when Ford announced that it was going to halve its planned production of the new Dragon engine, due to commence in 2018, and “significantly reduce” planned investment in the site.
Ford confirmed that instead of an investment of £181m to produce the family of all-new, technologically advanced, fuel-efficient petrol engines, the initial investment would be £100m – with a workforce requirement of 550 rather than 750 people.
By 2020 the production of two other engines will have ceased at the plant. Jaguar Land Rover will end its engine production at the site in 2018, and the production of the Ford Sigma engine is to stop in 2019-20.
In February a leaked company document described the plant as “underperforming” and revealed plans to cut the workforce from 1,760 employees to around 600 by 2021 – a loss of 1,160 employees.
The document said overtime levels at Bridgend were more than double the rates at Dagenham, adding 6% to the cost of the engines produced. It blamed the plant’s underperformance on absence, non-performance and work practices including paying staff allowances they are not entitled to and regular job rotation.
Unite gave Ford a March 1 deadline to offer concrete reassurances on the Bridgend engine plant’s future.
Union leader Len McCluskey told managers at the time that the carmaker’s repeated failure to demonstrate that it had the long-term product strategy needed to sustain the plant had left the workforce increasingly fearful for their jobs.