Thousands of agency staff working at Jaguar Land Rover plants could go on strike over a bitter pay dispute, it's been revealed.
The workers, who are members of union Unite and employed by agency DHL, are being balloted for strike action - and walkouts could start next month, as BusinessLive reports.
According to Unite, the ballot is a result of pay negotiations having collapsed, with DHL "refusing to make a consolidated pay offer to the workforce", and offering a one-off lump sum payment.
The workers are based at JLR’s factories at Halewood, Ellesmere Port and Evans Road in the North West and Castle Bromwich, Solihull, Tyrefort, Midpoint and Hams Halls in the West Midlands.
Unite are seeking a pay increase of 3.8% pay rise, and say the workers are being balloted about issues including average holiday pay and concerns over subcontracting.
The staff are employed as drivers and warehouse operatives on the JLR logistics contract.
Unite said DHL has refused to enter into talks over a permanent pay offer.
Unite national officer Matt Draper said: “Workers at DHL have had enough and are fed up of being treated with complete disregard by the management.
"DHL’s failure to even enter into standard pay negotiations is the direct reason why members are being balloted and strikes are looming.
“If the workforce does take strike action this will inevitably result in serious disruptions at JLR’s factories in the UK, but it needs to be understood this is entirely of DHL’s own making.
“There is still time to prevent strike action from occurring but DHL must first table a realistic pay offer and be prepared to enter into pay negotiations.”
It comes weeks after JLR announced it was cutting hundreds of jobs at the Halewood plant.
The ballot of over 3,500 Unite members opened on Wednesday, and if staff vote in favour, the walkouts could start next month.
Both JLR and DHL were contacted for a comment.
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