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Unite says strike will cause 'significant disruption' to Ford operations
More than 1,000 Ford workers are to strike for 24 hours in a dispute over pay and contract changes.
Administrative staff working at company sites across the UK will walk off the job on Wednesday 30 October.
The Unite union has warned there will be further strikes if the dispute is not resolved.
But Ford said the proposed total pay increase was “fair and balanced.”
The strike will affect Ford sites at Dunton in Essex, Stratford, Dagenham in east London, Daventry in Northamptonshire and Halewood in Merseyside.
The Unite union had called for its workers to receive a permanent pay rise.
Instead, Ford only proposed a one-time payment for 2024.
The union also said the carmaker was wrong to want to introduce 100% performance-related pay and change the sick pay policy.
“Corporate Greed”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham called it a “direct attack”.
“The only reason for this is corporate greed,” she said.
“The company’s appalling treatment of our members has only made them more determined to fight these cruel and unnecessary changes and get a fair pay increase.”
Ford executives are also in conflict with the company over wages, but so far have only taken action, but not called a strike.
The union called Ford a bully and accused him of refusing to engage in “good faith” negotiations.
But the automaker does not agree with this proposal.
In a statement it said: “Given the overall competitiveness of our general pay scale and benefits package, the company's final offer of a total pay increase of 5% for 2023/24 is fair and balanced.
“We will continue to work with Unite and our valued employees and work to resolve the issue.”
