More than 1200 Ford UK workers will take industrial action later this month over a pay dispute.
The staff are based in office roles at the Blue Oval’s Dagenham and Halewood plants as well as sites in Dunton, Stratford and Daventry.
Like more than 100 managerial colleagues who voted for similar action in June, they will begin an overtime ban on 22 August, with strike action threatened if no resolution is found.
Action has been agreed because Ford is pushing to impose 100% performance-related pay from 2025 and reduce sick pay entitlement, according to union Unite.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham accused Ford of using “intimidation tactics”.
“Ford’s relationship with its white-collar staff has never been worse. Instead of engaging with Unite, the company has resorted to threats and bullying to try and prevent staff from taking industrial action,” she said.
Moreover, the company, which reported a full-year net income of $4.3 billion (£3.4bn) on revenues of $176bn (£138bn) for 2023, has rebuffed pay rise calls from staff, instead offering a non-consolidated one-off payment.
Graham added: “Our members know the company is simply trying to boost its huge profits at the expense of their wages. They have Unite’s full support in taking industrial action for a fair pay rise.”
Ford is “refusing” to engage in talks over the strikes, Unite says. Ford refutes this, telling Autocar: “We will continue to engage with Unite and our employees on a fair and balanced offer that reflects an already highly competitive pay and benefits package.”
Ford would not confirm how business will be affected by the industrial action. Unite claims action will “severely impact Ford’s UK operations”.
Unite national officer Alison Spencer-Scragg said: “There is a limited amount of time before full coordinated strikes are announced. Unite has now written to the company's senior leadership in the US to step in before these disputes escalate further."
Add your comment