Ford’s UK office staff set to strike over pay and contract disputes
Up to 6,500 people employed by Ford UK
Over 1,000 Ford employees across Dunton, Stratford, Dagenham, Daventry and Halewood will stage a 24-hour strike tomorrow (Wednesday, October 30) in response to an ongoing dispute over pay and proposed contract changes.
The action, supported by the Unite union, follows months of deadlocked negotiations, with administrative staff expressing concerns over claims that Ford is reluctant to implement a permanent pay increase.
Unite said that Ford has proposed only a one-off payment for 2024 and plans to introduce 100 per cent performance-based pay for all office workers by 2025. The company, it said, is seeking changes to a long-standing sick pay policy despite Ford’s current employee absence rate being under two per cent.
The strike action builds on an “action short of strike” campaign initiated by employees on August 22. Unite stated: “Strikes will intensify if the dispute is not resolved.”
Dagenham and Halewood plants affected
Ford employs approximately 6,500 people in the UK, with key sites at Dagenham and Halewood forming the backbone of its operations. The Dagenham plant, opened in 1919, produces diesel engines mainly for the Transit van range. It also serves as a logistical hub, managing shipments of components and vehicles across the UK and internationally.
The Halewood site in Merseyside has traditionally produced transmissions for petrol and diesel models but is transitioning to manufacture electric vehicle (EV) power units for models such as the E-Transit Custom, Transit Courier and Tourneo Courier. This shift supports Ford’s plan to expand its pure-electric and hybrid vehicle offerings across Europe by 2030.
Dunton, in Essex, is a key research and development centre for commercial vehicles and EV technology. Stratford, in East London, is home to Ford’s Smart Mobility Innovation hub, which focuses on future mobility solutions. Meanwhile, the Daventry site houses Ford UK’s Parts Distribution Centre and the Henry Ford Academy, which trains technicians and apprentices.
Accusations of corporate greed
In 2023, Ford reported earnings of $4.3 billion (£3.3bn at today’s exchange rates) on revenues of $176 billion (£135.6bn), marking an 11.4 per cent increase year on year. Off the back of those gains, Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, criticised Ford’s approach, attributing it to “corporate greed” and pledging the union’s “total and unflinching support” to workers.
“The company’s appalling treatment of our members has simply made them more determined to fight against these cruel and unnecessary changes and for a fair pay rise,” Graham stated.
In addition to pay, Ford’s alleged suggested changes to the collective bargaining agreement have heightened tensions. Unite claims it has offered “affordable and sensible” alternatives to Ford, but the company has allegedly declined to engage in “good faith negotiations”.
Alongside administrative staff, some Ford managers represented by Unite are also in dispute over pay. These managers have taken part in limited industrial action after being offered only a performance-based merit award, which is not guaranteed.
Alison Spencer-Scragg, Unite’s national officer, warned that the impact of strike action could “cause significant disruption to Ford’s operations and will continue to escalate” and urged the company to present terms that “our members can accept.”
In response, a statement from Ford of Britain read: “Considering the overall competitiveness of our General Salary Roll employee pay and benefits package, the company’s final offer of a five per cent total pay increase for 2023/24 is fair and balanced.
“We will continue to engage with Unite and our valued employees and endeavour to resolve the matter.”
The company added that the latest pay offer, combined with the pay increases over the past two years amounts to over 25 per cent, and that the company continues to offer two years full sick pay to employees.
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- Also check out the new Ford Explorer, on which the Capri is based
- Our read our review of the Ford E-Transit Custom
