Wood Group Contractors Take Industrial Action At GlaxoSmithKline Over Pay Inequality

Wood Group Contractors Take Industrial Action At GlaxoSmithKline Over Pay Inequality

Sub-contractor maintenance staff will take industrial action at the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) plant in Montrose later this month as a long-standing dispute over pay inequality continues.

GMB Scotland reps have been in discussions for five months with senior company representatives from Wood Group after grievances were raised by staff over receiving less hourly rates of pay than a labourer on the same job despite being tradesmen.

GMB and Wood Group were unable to reach a satisfactory outcome, Wood Group stating they have sympathy with the employee’s grievance but could not afford to address the pay inequality as there was not enough money in the GSK contract.

Strike action starts on Wednesday 13 November following a balloting process which returned 100% in favour of strike action on ballots returned.

Gary Cook GMB organiser said. “Wood Group approached GSK for additional monies to address the issue but GSK refused despite having posted record operating profits of £4.046 billion in 2018.

We have a situation here at GSK Montrose where a labourer on the same maintenance contract earns more than a tradesman - shocking but true - and GSK, despite everything they say on ethics and equality, on their website are not prepared for the sake of a few miserly crumbs to put right this blatant unfairness.

Sadly after exhausting the consultation process we had no alternative other to ballot for industrial action, resulting in four weeks of disruption week one 1 day stoppage week two 2 days stoppage week three 3 days and five days on the fourth week at the GSK site commencing on Wednesday 13 November.

Industrial action is a weapon of last resort but our members were forced into this by Wood Group and GSK who seem totally indifferent to our members claim for pay equality.”

ENDS

Contact: Gary Cook, GMB Scotland Organiser on 07712 677594 or Peter Welsh, GMB Scotland Communications, on 07976 447077.