Solidarity wins the day at GKN

Trade union solidarity has won through after over 1,000 GKN workers based at the company’s Filton and Bristol aerospace factories, secured pay deals that were a vast improvement on the employers original offer.

GKN Aerospace is a world-leading aerospace supplier, producing GKN airframe and engine structures, electrical wiring and landing gear which is present on 90 per cent of today’s aircraft. 

The factories in dispute were at Western Approach in Bristol and at a larger site Filton, South Gloucestershire. 

Workers at the Filton site make wings for the Airbus A320, with skilled workers at this factory taking multiple days of strike action that began in May before continuing across the first part of the summer, as a result of GKN’s inferior pay offer.

As a result of the industrial action and the determination of members and reps GKN returned to negotiations and Unite secured a deal which in year one will see them receiving a four per cent pay increase backdated to January, £700 worth of shares or £600 cash and the reintroduction of a share save scheme.

For the second year workers will receive an increase in inflation plus 0.4 per cent and £300 worth of share or £250 in cash.

Though separate negotiations were held at both sites, the solidarity between the two groups of workers, along with their reps, was vital to ensuring that everyone benefited from the same improved deal.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This was a very important win. Members were prepared to take industrial action and in doing so secured a significantly improved pay deal.

“This deal proves there is power in a union and power in Unite.”

Unite not only struck a deal for workers at the factory today, but further secured a commitment from the company to invest £10 million per year on site up to 2030, which helps to secure the longer-term future of the factory. 

In addition GKN has committed to recruit a minimum of 45 apprentices a year with at least 30 being trained to level three.

Unite officers paid tribute to the hard work of members and reps, their resolve to win and the support they gave those negotiating an acceptable deal. 

Unite regional officer Shevaun Hunt said: “This deal would not have been possible without Unite reps and members standing together and forcing management back to the negotiating table.

“Unite will build on this deal to ensure that pay and conditions continue to improve at GKN.”

Negotiating for members at the Bristol site was Unite Stand Down Officer Alan Adler. Alan said he was struck by the determination of members to fight together for the fair deal that they deserved, saying, “These Unite members and reps preferred to be at work doing the vital jobs they take pride in every day, rather than having to fight for a just pay deal that reflects their skills and training. But after years of falling behind on pay and exhausting every avenue of negotiation, they were left with no alternative.”

“What shines through is the strength of solidarity between the two sets of aerospace workers at Filton and Bristol and the hard work of the reps and members – they stood firm together and won this pay rise together.”

Matt Allen Unite South West Regional Secretary echoed these sentiments, adding, “The parallel pay disputes at both GKN sites are a testament to the hard work of the Officers and Reps who led these negotiations to deliver hard-fought, above-inflation pay rises for Unite members spanning the next two years.”

 By Keith Hatch

Photo by Mark Thomas