Strike threat at Walsall firm as bonuses are withdrawn
Workers at a Walsall-based galvanising company are being balloted over strike action after a row broke out about bonus payments.
The Unite union will ballot 50 workers at Joseph Ash Galvanising over action after the company withdrew bonuses worth around £40-a-week to its staff in March without the agreement of workers.
National Unite officer Terry Pye, who oversees the union’s metals division, said that workers had been left demoralised by the move. Mr Pye said: “The bonus had existed for about 20 years and taking away the payments has resulted in our members earning £40-a-week less.
“We are starting the procedure for balloting workers over strike action.
“We have been advised by our members unanimously that they are prepared to go down this road. We will also be taking legal action against the company. In our opinion they are exploiting the workforce and workers have to take a stand.”
It is understood that workers are being balloted over rolling strike action, which will run until an agreement is negotiated.
If workers agree to the terms of the ballot, industrial action could also include an overtime ban.
Mr Pye said the union had been consulting lawyers over potential legal action, as he said the changes announced by the company were not agreed to by workers.
He said the company had blamed the changes on the recession and a fall in demand for its services – immersing steel in molten zinc – as a result.
However, Mr Pye said there was evidence that the company had seen an improvement in demand.
He said: “The company is doing well. You can see all around the yard backlogs and the members are being asked to work on Saturdays and Sundays, so they are doing well enough to give out other shifts.
"And the workforce has been fully compliant with that, despite losing £40 a week. They are very demoralised. They can see that a company which professes to be a good employer is taking money away from them.”
Joseph Ash has been established for more than 150 years and operates from eight plant locations, including in Bilson, Oldbury and Telford.
Nobody from the company’s Walsall office was available for comment.
