Five thousand members of the Amicus union employed in the papermaking industry are to be balloted on a new pay offer. The deal, agreed with the Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI), has been described as ground-breaking by the union’s assistant general secretary, Tony Burke. It equates to an above-inflation pay offer of 2.9%. It also provides an opportunity for local bargaining where this has been custom and practice. The agreement covers members of Amicus in the process, engineering and electrical areas of paper making, as well as GMB and TGWU members. Burke said: “The agreement is ground-breaking. The employers accepted there was a need for our members to get an above-inflation increase.” Amicus, GMB and TGWU are in discussions with the CPI aimed at developing a Partnership at Work National Agreement similar to one agreed in the printing industry last year.
