Wool
textile workers are to be balloted on whether to take industrial action after a
1.5 per cent pay offer.
Members
of the Transport & General Workers’ Union rejected the Confederation of
British Wool Textiles’ offer and will now ballot workers on taking industrial
action.
Senior
union negotiator, Peter Booth, said: "This decision by members to reject
yet another low wage increase from the wool textile employers reflects many
years of frustration by workers in the industry who have consistently received
lower wage increases and improvements in their terms of employment in
comparison to other groups of textile workers and manufacturing workers in
general.
"Following
the many difficulties and hardships suffered by workers in this industry a 1.5
per cent offer on what are already generally lower levels of earnings is nothing
less than derisory.
"In
addition to this, the employers were not even prepared to consider improvements
in holidays, sick pay or family-friendly working policies. Furthermore this
group of employers have refused to provide an additional day of holiday in
respect of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and effectively expect workers in this
industry to take that Public Holiday out of their own existing holiday
entitlement.
"The
T&G has long argued that textile workers are entitled to much better terms
of employment and will be firmly recommending that members vote in favour of
taking industrial action in support of a better future for themselves."
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