Workers at the factory of Birtley Group and Bowater Doors in Chester-le-Street have agreed terms with their bosses for a 9% pay increase.
Last month, after months of dispute over pay, the 124 Unite union members voted to take strike action and planned 29 days action. Within days, management reopened talks and the strikes were put on ice. Now they have been called off after the improved 9% offer was approved in a ballot.
Birtley and Bowater Doors share premises in Chester-le-Street and are both part of Hill & Smith plc, a £700m-turnover industrial group with 3,600 employees that made a pre-tax profit of £80m last year. Birtley produces lintels for the construction industry, while Bowater produce UPVC doors for residential and business customers.
The 9% increase is backdated to January 2022, when RPI inflation stood at 7.8%.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a greatly deserved victory for our members, who by standing in unity were able to force the employer to make a vastly improved offer. This victory is a further example how Unite’s relentless focus on fighting for jobs, pay and conditions is delivering for our members.”
Unite regional officer Pat McCourt said: “This was an important win for our members and Unite will now build on this success in future negotiations at Birtley and Bowater.”
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