Following five consecutive Friday strikes, Unite members at Sulzer Pumps are escalating the action. Monday 3 July was the first of weekly Monday strikes, but they also plan to go out for the entire week from 17 July.
The company has refused to re-open negotiations confined only to this year’s pay, but has offered to discuss a new deal if it was to go over two years. But the offer so far is for just £1,700 extra, or a 5% increase on the skilled rate.
Profit
As one rep explained to us: “This company makes £20 million in profits, mostly from this site. At the beginning of the strike they said we wouldn’t get anyone on the picket line. But we know our action is starting to cause serious disruption, so hopefully they’ll now negotiate properly with us”.
As well as escalating the intensity of strike action, Unite members have also discussed sending a delegation to protest outside Sulzer’s head office in Switzerland.
Iain Dalton, Leeds Socialist Party
