Dave Walsh
Workers at the King and Fowler metal finishing firm in Liverpool have achieved a stunning victory after six one-day strikes. Their action came about after six years without a pay rise and mistreatment from their anti-trade union boss who refused to recognise Unite the Union.
The result of their action was a 3% pay award with immediate effect, along with a two-year deal of 2.5% in April 2014 and 2% in April 2015. They also secured an agreement for time and a half for bank holidays and overtime as well as time in lieu for all hours worked on bank holidays.
As well as these improvements Unite has now secured a recognition agreement which was achieved after it built its membership from 18 to 48 – the vast majority of the workforce.
Dot who works at King and Fowler said: “people like us needed to make a stand and we did make a stand”. Donna Bernard from Unite said: “The union will stand firm with its members when faced with ruthless bosses who think they can get away with treating their workers in this way”.
