Ford has been warned it could face industrial action from over 3,000 salaried and managerial staff across its workforce in response to pay issues.
Unite union said the car company must agree to negotiations or its members will risk striking to get the compensationthey believe they deserve.
The existing offers put forward by Ford consisted of a one-off payment of five per cent for worker salaries in 2024, rather than annual wage increases across the board.
This offer was rejected by over 90 per cent of both sets of workers while management grades, who have recently achieved union recognition, were offered a performance-related bonus payment, but no guarantee of a cost of living increase payment.
Existing offers consisted of a one-off payment of five per cent for worker salaries
GETTY
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said: “Ford is acting out of corporate greed with its offers of one-off payments and variable bonuses. It is extremely profitable and can fully afford to put forward proper no strings pay offers for these workers.
“Unite does not tolerate attacks on our members’ jobs, pay or conditions and Ford’s salaried and managerial staff have their union’s full support.”
Last week, the motor company took home £3.4billion in profit and revenues of £140billion.
Following the rejected pay offers by members of Unite, the union requested Ford enter talks mediated by Acas.
The workers who could go on strike are based at Ford sites across the country, including Dunton, Stratford, Dagenham, Daventry and Halewood.
Allison Spencer-Scragg, national officer at Unite, said: “Ford’s workforce has rightly rejected these unacceptable pay offers.
“Anger amongst our members is such that if Ford continues to refuse to attend Acas talks, Unite will have no choice but to begin proceedings to hold a formal ballot for industrial action. I urge Ford to reconsider its position.”
In response to the proposed strike action, Ford explained that it has been in pay negotiations with employee representatives since the end of last year, as its previous two-year deal ends.
A spokesperson for Ford told GB News: “While trade union members have voted internally at a members vote to reject the company’s offer, Ford remains willing to continue dialogue through our established bargaining frameworks on the fair and balanced offer made.”
Earlier this week, Ford announced plans to rethink its electric car strategy as it transitions away from petrol and diesel vehicles.
Speaking earlier this month, Ford’s CEO Jim Farley said the company needed to make changes to ensure drivers have the appetite for an electric car and can rely on infrastructure.
The manufacturing giant previously confirmed plans to delay or cut £9.5billion from its spending targets for electric vehicles across North America.
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Ford's Dagenham factory may be affected by the industrial action
PA
Despite this, Jim Farley said he remained confident with the uptake of electric vehicles and how they could progress in the coming years when prices fall in line with petrol and diesel equivalents.