The strike that had been afflicting New Holland’s Basildon plant quietly ended without drama, with Unite, the union involved, declaring it had won “fantastic pay victory” from CNH for more than 500 production staff.
Employees at the factory, which is Basildon’s largest employer, have agreed a two-year deal that will mean a weekly pay increase of £40 for year one, with many workers seeing their pay increase by up to £100 a week in year two.
This appears to be a different deal from the original demand by Unite that CNH keeps to a previous settlement which directly linked pay increases to inflation.
Unite said that the deal will benefit the lowest paid employees the most, as they are set to see their pay increase by £140 per week before the end of this year.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:
“Our members in CNH stood their ground in this dispute, and as a result Unite secured a better deal from the employer.
“This deal is another example of how Unite is responding to the cost-of-living crisis by putting more money in our members’ pockets.
“Improving workers’ jobs, pay and conditions is what this union does.”
There has also been an increase in lay-off pay for those that are not required on the line and an increase in holiday entitlement.
News Blackout from CNH
The series of stoppages had been running from May, with CNH saying little more than it negotiating in good faith, while Union’s website carried only the occasional updates.
The whole affair appears to have been kept very much under wraps, and CNH has issued no statement on the pay deal having previously indicated to Agriland that it was unwilling to comment.
The first breakthrough came in mid-June, with the union suspending action pending a ballot of its members.
Two weeks later, it emerged that the deal had been accepted and no further strike action would take place.