Paper workers ballot for strike

Unite the unionhas announced it will ballot more than 2,000 members at around 50 sites in the UK, on whether to take strike action or industrial action, short of a strike over the 2.9% offer made by the Confederation of Paper Industries( CPI) for September 2013 to September 2014.

The union said it wants “a pay rise that takes account of inflation”.

The ballot opened on 20th February and closes on Tuesday 11 March.

Unitenational officer Paul Finegan said: “I appreciate we are living through difficult times, but this is about fairness for dedicated and hardworking staff.

“We have a situation where highly profitable companies within the industry – Smurfit Kappa, DS Smith Plc, SAICA Pack UK Limited – continue to make good profits. Senior executives within the industry enjoy overall pay packages worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, if not millions per year. Shareholders enjoy the benefits of these profits. Yet on the other hand the industry is refusing to pay workers a fair and affordable share of the industry’s success.

“This is not acceptable. They can afford to pay our members an above-inflation pay deal to recognise the huge contribution workers have made to the success of the industry.

“It is clear that no matter how great the profits of the companies concerned are, they have a policy of holding pay rises below the rate of inflation.

“This was reaffirmed by the lead negotiator on behalf of the employers stating that the 2.9 per cent offer was the final offer and it had nothing to do with each employers ability to pay.”

Finegan said the union “has been left with no option now, but to ballot its members for strike action”.

Head of employment affairs for the CPIPaul Storey said: "The industry believes that its final pay offer of 2.95% is fair and reasonable and reflective of the sector performance. The offer is significantly higher than the median settlement level of 2%, which is curently being realised in the manufacturing sector."

"We have put our best offer forwards and we now have to wait for the outcome. We hope that the offer will be accepted but in fairness we don't know what the future will hold."