Strike for Ford Technical Research Centre workers at Dunton

5:30pm Tuesday 19th June 2012 in Basildon By Gina Marden

Determined – Les McDonald and Keven Matthews with Ford staff Determined – Les McDonald and Keven Matthews with Ford staff

FORD workers in south Essex walked out in a 24-hour strike over pay and pensions.

Workers at both the Technical Research Centre, in Dunton, Basildon, and the head office at Warley, downed tools yesterday after 67 per cent of union members employed by the car giant voted to strike.

The Unite union, which represents the staff, said the strike was over Ford’s decision to close the final salary pension scheme to new workers and lower their rates of pay.

The union said it believed the decision on pensions was the “thin edge of the wedge” and Ford is preparing to close the final salary pension scheme to all staff.

Roger Maddison, of the Unite union, said: “Our staff members will not stand by and allow Ford to create a two-tier workforce on pay and pensions.

“To date, Ford has failed to make any genuine attempts to resolve this dispute.

“We fiercely oppose the closure of Ford’s final salary scheme to new entrants, because we believe, ultimately, Ford will try to close the entire scheme.

“The company is also refusing to back away from creating a two-tier workforce by making new starters work for less money doing the same job as existing staff. This is totally unacceptable.”

Laindon Park Labour councillor John Scarola recently retired from Ford after working there for 40 years. During this time he represented workers and negotiated their terms and conditions.

He said: “Having a two-tier workforce does not work.

“They tried it at Visteon, where they had two or three groups of people doing the same job for different money, and it didn’t work.

“It is always going to cause problems, because ultimately it means driving salaries down. That is what they are trying to do.”

A Ford spokesman said: “The issue giving rise to the industrial action relates to a disagreement between the company and a particular group of its employees in relation to their ongoing pay and benefit negotiations.

“Ford remains willing and available to continue discussions with the union representing these workers.

“The vast majority of the company’s employees are not involved in this disagreement, or the decision to take industrial action.”

Comments (13)

5:47pm Tue 19 Jun 12

APR says...

They don't know when they are well off.
I don't know if things have changed much over the last few years, but there used to be some cushy jobs at Dunton, well paid too.
They don't know when they are well off. I don't know if things have changed much over the last few years, but there used to be some cushy jobs at Dunton, well paid too. APR

6:05pm Tue 19 Jun 12

Brunning999 says...

I am going to get a job at the crem that way I can work to I am 100 and die at work.
I am going to get a job at the crem that way I can work to I am 100 and die at work. Brunning999

6:37pm Tue 19 Jun 12

bazaarhorse says...

APR wrote:
They don't know when they are well off.
I don't know if things have changed much over the last few years, but there used to be some cushy jobs at Dunton, well paid too.
Why comment if you don't know ?
[quote][p][bold]APR[/bold] wrote: They don't know when they are well off. I don't know if things have changed much over the last few years, but there used to be some cushy jobs at Dunton, well paid too.[/p][/quote]Why comment if you don't know ? bazaarhorse

10:37pm Tue 19 Jun 12

perini says...

APR wrote:
They don't know when they are well off.
I don't know if things have changed much over the last few years, but there used to be some cushy jobs at Dunton, well paid too.
Carry on showing your ignorance - just goes to show exactly how little you know about this issue!
[quote][p][bold]APR[/bold] wrote: They don't know when they are well off. I don't know if things have changed much over the last few years, but there used to be some cushy jobs at Dunton, well paid too.[/p][/quote]Carry on showing your ignorance - just goes to show exactly how little you know about this issue! perini

11:03pm Tue 19 Jun 12

bignosechaff says...

They are lucky to have a job and should be grateful
They are lucky to have a job and should be grateful bignosechaff

7:06am Wed 20 Jun 12

APR says...

Well I have known a few people who have worked for Fords, at Dunton and elsewhere. They have all done very well, with perks and bonuses.
Pensions and wages are being re evaluated both in the public and private sectors, Fords included.
Well I have known a few people who have worked for Fords, at Dunton and elsewhere. They have all done very well, with perks and bonuses. Pensions and wages are being re evaluated both in the public and private sectors, Fords included. APR

8:00am Wed 20 Jun 12

Andonemorething says...

we dont want a two tier system?

I've worked at Ford on and off for the last 18 years as a contractor or more recently for a service provider (so they dont have to go along with the new DWA rules) sitting next to Ford employed staff doing the same job but earning half the salary, less holiday, longer hours, different less valuable benefits and NO pension.....

No two tier system? hahaha.
we dont want a two tier system? I've worked at Ford on and off for the last 18 years as a contractor or more recently for a service provider (so they dont have to go along with the new DWA rules) sitting next to Ford employed staff doing the same job but earning half the salary, less holiday, longer hours, different less valuable benefits and NO pension..... No two tier system? hahaha. Andonemorething

8:12am Wed 20 Jun 12

bob7 says...

I've worked for Ford for 27 years. The only bonus I get is if my colleagues and I keep sickness below a certain %. We get some discount off new cars but it isn't much better than what is available to the public under various schemes. I'm hourly so I'm not sure about what the staff get but I'm not complaining.
Pity they couldn't have cleaned the rubbish up from the picket line that I crossed on Monday, a minimum wage contractor had to go out and do it. Now he would have something to complain about.
I've worked for Ford for 27 years. The only bonus I get is if my colleagues and I keep sickness below a certain %. We get some discount off new cars but it isn't much better than what is available to the public under various schemes. I'm hourly so I'm not sure about what the staff get but I'm not complaining. Pity they couldn't have cleaned the rubbish up from the picket line that I crossed on Monday, a minimum wage contractor had to go out and do it. Now he would have something to complain about. bob7

8:53am Wed 20 Jun 12

notinwestcliffanymore says...

As you know bob blue collar workers accepted the two tier deal, with a decent pay rise given the times we are in. Ford already have two tier working us in the western world and those in eastern europe and asia, we are not only in competiton with vauxhall and volkswagen but kia and hyundai, as well as ford prodution plants in turkey and romania. Sometimes you just have to cut your cloth..
.
Andonemorething, you lot don't do to badly.

.
As you know bob blue collar workers accepted the two tier deal, with a decent pay rise given the times we are in. Ford already have two tier working us in the western world and those in eastern europe and asia, we are not only in competiton with vauxhall and volkswagen but kia and hyundai, as well as ford prodution plants in turkey and romania. Sometimes you just have to cut your cloth.. . Andonemorething, you lot don't do to badly. . notinwestcliffanymore

11:40am Wed 20 Jun 12

AndyBSG says...

It's this sort of outdated attitude to pensions that is one of the things dragging this country down.

Final salary pensions are completely unrealistic and unsustainable so closing them to new applications is the only way forward and is a much fairer approach than closing them full stop, even to people who are already in the scheme.

I remember having an interview over at Duntons about two years ago and couldn't beleive how much they were paying and how generous their benefits package was so can't see how they feel they're being treated unfairly.

I hope Ford's call their bluff and these people end up looking for a job in the real world that doesn't pay as well or offer a fraction of the benefits that Fords do
It's this sort of outdated attitude to pensions that is one of the things dragging this country down. Final salary pensions are completely unrealistic and unsustainable so closing them to new applications is the only way forward and is a much fairer approach than closing them full stop, even to people who are already in the scheme. I remember having an interview over at Duntons about two years ago and couldn't beleive how much they were paying and how generous their benefits package was so can't see how they feel they're being treated unfairly. I hope Ford's call their bluff and these people end up looking for a job in the real world that doesn't pay as well or offer a fraction of the benefits that Fords do AndyBSG

1:56pm Wed 20 Jun 12

EthanEdwards says...

Two things.
1 This is the reason a run of the mill car like an Smax costs upwards of £30,000 a ridiculous amount. Not everyone is in the Frud F&F scheme.
2 This is why people are turning to Asian cars. Strikes by such featherbedded people don't bode well for a companies survival. Unite won't be satisfied until everyone is unemployed and unemployable.
Two things. 1 This is the reason a run of the mill car like an Smax costs upwards of £30,000 a ridiculous amount. Not everyone is in the Frud F&F scheme. 2 This is why people are turning to Asian cars. Strikes by such featherbedded people don't bode well for a companies survival. Unite won't be satisfied until everyone is unemployed and unemployable. EthanEdwards

3:50pm Wed 20 Jun 12

Andonemorething says...

notinwestcliffanymor
e wrote:
As you know bob blue collar workers accepted the two tier deal, with a decent pay rise given the times we are in. Ford already have two tier working us in the western world and those in eastern europe and asia, we are not only in competiton with vauxhall and volkswagen but kia and hyundai, as well as ford prodution plants in turkey and romania. Sometimes you just have to cut your cloth.. . Andonemorething, you lot don't do to badly. .
oh sorry i didnt realise you knew how much i earned and what benefits i got (or dont which is more accurate). I am grateful for a job in this climate without a doubt. i was merely commenting on the "we do not want a two tier system"

If you think i'm not doing too bad earning £14k less than the colleague i sit next to that does exactly the same as me then good for you. To me that is a tiered system.
[quote][p][bold]notinwestcliffanymor e[/bold] wrote: As you know bob blue collar workers accepted the two tier deal, with a decent pay rise given the times we are in. Ford already have two tier working us in the western world and those in eastern europe and asia, we are not only in competiton with vauxhall and volkswagen but kia and hyundai, as well as ford prodution plants in turkey and romania. Sometimes you just have to cut your cloth.. . Andonemorething, you lot don't do to badly. .[/p][/quote]oh sorry i didnt realise you knew how much i earned and what benefits i got (or dont which is more accurate). I am grateful for a job in this climate without a doubt. i was merely commenting on the "we do not want a two tier system" If you think i'm not doing too bad earning £14k less than the colleague i sit next to that does exactly the same as me then good for you. To me that is a tiered system. Andonemorething

8:38pm Tue 26 Jun 12

mjmacintosh says...

EthanEdwards wrote:
Two things.
1 This is the reason a run of the mill car like an Smax costs upwards of £30,000 a ridiculous amount. Not everyone is in the Frud F&F scheme.
2 This is why people are turning to Asian cars. Strikes by such featherbedded people don't bode well for a companies survival. Unite won't be satisfied until everyone is unemployed and unemployable.
there are a lot more factors that drive the cost of a vehicle. The workforce is probably a very small portion compared to the material and plant costs that go towards any ford vehicle. Ford have already said it would make very little difference to the bottom line by closing the final salary pension scheme - when many other savings could be made first! Furthermore, being a contractor and now employee of the company i cant say each and every staff function is well paid and above industry standard. A company this huge covers many trades, its not just automotive. Can say as an employee company product discounts are pretty much worthless these days too. Ford makes quality products, and has a world class team working hard to deliver, working away from our families months on end - our cars are worth every penny.. stylish, functional, reliability & cost... let me know what merc or bmw offer the same package from spec to mpg... and you'll be paying upwards of 45k for something like the s-max from those guys!
[quote][p][bold]EthanEdwards[/bold] wrote: Two things. 1 This is the reason a run of the mill car like an Smax costs upwards of £30,000 a ridiculous amount. Not everyone is in the Frud F&F scheme. 2 This is why people are turning to Asian cars. Strikes by such featherbedded people don't bode well for a companies survival. Unite won't be satisfied until everyone is unemployed and unemployable.[/p][/quote]there are a lot more factors that drive the cost of a vehicle. The workforce is probably a very small portion compared to the material and plant costs that go towards any ford vehicle. Ford have already said it would make very little difference to the bottom line by closing the final salary pension scheme - when many other savings could be made first! Furthermore, being a contractor and now employee of the company i cant say each and every staff function is well paid and above industry standard. A company this huge covers many trades, its not just automotive. Can say as an employee company product discounts are pretty much worthless these days too. Ford makes quality products, and has a world class team working hard to deliver, working away from our families months on end - our cars are worth every penny.. stylish, functional, reliability & cost... let me know what merc or bmw offer the same package from spec to mpg... and you'll be paying upwards of 45k for something like the s-max from those guys! mjmacintosh

Comments are closed on this article.

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree