Peugeot
workers have announced further strike action over pay and pensions.
The
workers plan to strike on 7 and 8 March at the car manufacturer’s Ryton Plant,
and their move follows 36 hours of strike action last week.
The
unions involved – Amicus and T&G – claim that the company’s pay offer is
below the industry norm. The company also wants to increase employee pension
contributions by 1 per cent.
Unions
have dismissed the offer after the Peugeot announced a 9 per cent increase in
profits last year.
"It’s
not acceptable that Peugeot, who has posted a large increase in profits in
2002, is seeking a sub-standard pay deal for our members. A pay deal that
includes taking a sizeable chunk of the increase away to fund pensions that
Amicus members already pay for," said Derek Simpson, Amicus joint general
secretary
Simpson
said he wants to meet the company’s leadership in a bid to halt the dispute.