Tyneside Safety Glass Ballot On Offer

Unite members at Tyneside Safety Glass will be balloted on a ‘significantly improved’ pay offer.

And as a result, two weeks of continuous strike action due to have begun on 18 October 2010 has been called off at the Gateshead company, pending consultation and a ballot of Unite members.

Unite assistant general secretary, Tony Burke, said: ”The company has made a significantly improved pay offer and there has also been progress on working conditions. The strike action has been called off.

”Unite strongly recommends the improved offer and the fathers of the chapel (shop stewards) will be briefing members this week on the proposals and then there will be a ballot. The workforce should be congratulated on their firm stance and resolution during this dispute.

Seventy-three Unite members at Tyneside Safety Glass, Team Valley, began their dispute on 20 September 2010, after the company imposed a second year of pay freezes, combined with changes to shift patterns which in some cases could have added ten hours to the working week, taking Unite members up to the maximum 48 hour working week.