Zarah Choudhary300 workers from Marshalls bricks and masonry in West Yorks, Cleveland, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Lancashire have rejected pay offer and are being balloted for strike action.
The workers have rejected a pay offer of a one-off non-consolidated £700 payment for 2024.
Marshalls annual report for 2023 stated that it brought in revenues of £671.2m, and had an adjusted operating profit of £70.7m.
Chief executive Matt Pullen, who joined the company in March, is paid a salary of £580,000.
Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, said: “Our members are well aware that Marshalls is a highly profitable company and will not accept its derisory pay offer.
“They have Unite’s full support in demanding a fair pay rise.”
The ballots for strike action at five of Marshall’s sites opened yesterday (21st October) and will close on 11th November.
The sites are located in Halifax in West Yorkshire, Stockton-on-Tees in Cleveland, Sandy in Bedfordshire, St Ives in Cambridgeshire and Ramsbottom in Lancashire.
The workers produce concrete blocks, utility bricks, facing bricks and walling stone for the construction industry.
Jason Poulter, national officer at Unite, said: “Marshalls can well afford to put forward a fair pay deal for this year.
“Strike action can still be avoided but that requires Marshalls to table an offer our members can accept.”
A spokesperson at Marshalls said: “We are aware that Unite is in the process of balloting their members after rejecting the 2024 pay offer. We have since made an updated two-year offer. We await the outcome of the ballot and continue to work with the union to find a satisfactory resolution.”
