[19
JUL 00] PEUGEOT NEWS
Managers To Try And Talk Away Strike Threat
Work
will stop at the Peugeot Ryton plant on Thursday and Friday as
management explains the new contracts to staff.
It
is a last-ditch effort to try and persuade the workforce to back the
new deal on offer, ahead of a strike ballot.
The
previous deal was rejected, with 58 per cent of workers who voted
preferring to stop work rather than sign the new contracts.
The
sticking points were extra Friday nights that weekday workers could be
made to work and extra Mondays for weekend staff. Workers say they
could end up working 46-hour weeks.
Unions,
who recommended approval of the first deal, are now behind their staff
in opposing the contracts, but a new ballot is underway with the new
management offer.
Chris
Edwards, Peugeot spokesman, said the company has written to staff on
several occasions to explain the deal and the latest revisions.
That
would mean fewer compulsory Friday nights for weekday staff, fewer
compulsory Mondays for weekend staff, and the extra shifts would be
paid at 50 per cent over the base wage figure, and an extra £6 flat
payment on top.
Supervisors
will be talking to the three shifts over the next two days to explain
the latest revisions.
Production
will stop while staff get to hear why management say they should
accept the deal, and workers have the chance to ask questions.
Mr
Edwards said:
“There
are significant new proposals and this is part of the process to
make sure that everybody understands all the new strands.
“It
is a chance to explain, and for people to ask questions. It will go
on as long as it takes.
“There
has been an open dialogue and we have tried to understand the
concerns of the workforce.
“This
is a radical change and we have been sympathetic to their concerns.
We have worked for a long time to get this far and we had the
support of the unions. We were shocked and disappointed at the last
ballot result.”
The
company said Ryton has been working well and is obviously to keen to
avoid industrial action:
“This
has been a success story and we have had exceptional results and we
want that to continue for everyone.”
If
the workforces uphold their decision for industrial action, there
could be one-day strikes in the last few days of July, and an all-out
stoppage from 21 August - the day the new contracts should come into
effect.
The
ballot will take place over the next week, and the result is expected
on 26 July.
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