Workers at ADL in Falkirk vote to strike over 'pitiful' pay offer

Workers at the Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) bus building plant in Falkirk have voted for strike action after rejecting a four per cent pay offer.

Unite the union said its members had declined the “pitiful” pay deal.

They added that the company also rejected a proposal by Unite to move production to a four-day week (32 hours) from five days (36 hours) with it stating there would be no reduction in weekly hours worked.

The union represents around 400 coach builders and spray painters at ADL’s factory in Glasgow Road, Camelon.

Around 400 workers who are members of the union Unite have voted to strike over a pay offer. Pic: Michael Gillen

It said 79.5 per cent of its members voted in the strike ballot with 89.5 per cent voting for strike action.

The union added its members had no pay rise for three years, as well as 140 jobs lost at ADL in the Camelon plant and nearby Larbert through voluntary redundancy.

Sharon Graham Unite general secretary said: “Unite’s members at ADL’s Camelon factory have made sacrifice after sacrifice. They have not had a pay increase in three years and the pitiful offer on the table is three times behind current inflation. Our members have no choice but to take strike action and we will support them in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”

Workers at the ADL plant in Glasgow Road, Camelon have voted to strike over pay

Unite highlighted ADL’s “healthy order book’” with the company last year winning contracts to manufacture 172 green buses through a second round of the Scottish Government’s £40.5 million Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme (SULEBS).

ADL further benefited from the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB). Phase one of the fund announced this year awarded £62 million to nine bus operators and local authorities with a further 137 buses to be built by ADL in Camelon.

Pat Egan, Unite industrial officer said; “ADL has a very healthy order book with hundreds of new single and double decker buses being built in Camelon. Our members have endured a lot of uncertainty over the last few years but they have continued to manufacture a world class product.

"ADL has an opportunity to prevent strike action with a fair pay offer. If the company doesn’t shift soon, the resolve of the workforce is rock solid and strike action will be imminent.”

ADL has been contacted for a comment.