Zarah ChoudharyA dispute at Ford over pay and contract changes involving more than 1,000 administrative staff has escalated into strike action.
According to Unite, Ford failed to offer its workers a permanent pay increase.
Instead, the company offered office workers a one-off payment for 2024 and wants to impose 100% performance related pay from 2025 for all staff.
Despite absence running at less than 2%, the union also pointed to attempts to change the long-standing sick pay policy, and change the collective bargaining agreement with Unite.
Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, said: “Despite its huge wealth, Ford has launched a direct attack on its office workers’ pay and terms and conditions.
“The only reason for this is corporate greed.
“The company’s appalling treatment of our members has simply made them more determined to fight against these cruel and unnecessary changes and for a fair pay rise.
“They have Unite’s total and unflinching support as they strike for a better deal.”
The workers will walk out for 24 hours on 30th October.
Ford managers represented by Unite are also in dispute with the company over pay, taking action short of strike over Ford’s pay offer of a performance-related merit award.
Ford reported a full year net income of $4.3bn on revenues of $176bn for 2023 – an increase of 11.4%.
Alison Spencer-Scragg, national officer at Unite, said: “Ford’s attempt to bully its workers into ending industrial action and accepting completely unacceptable deals has failed miserably.
“Strike action will cause significant disruption to Ford’s operations and will continue to escalate.
“The only way this dispute will end is when Ford puts forward offers that our members can accept.”
A spokesperson at Ford said: “Considering the overall competitiveness of our General Salary Roll employee pay and benefits package, the company’s final offer of a 5% total pay increase for 2023/24 is fair and balanced.
“We will continue to engage with Unite and our valued employees and endeavour to resolve the matter.”
