GMB North West and Irish Region Connect Magazine February 2020 | Page 4

news SOLIDARITY SHOWS THE WAY news Hard Won Deal Settles Bitter Dispute At Matalan .......TO THE DOSH The bitter eight week pay dispute at Matalan is over after members accepted a new deal thrashed out by GMB officers. A large turnout for strike action has led to a healthy two year pay deal at Novellis one of the largest recycling plants in Europe. As a result of the high level talks the deal was signed after 66.3% voted to accept 2.9% for 2019 backdated to 1st April with the same increase from April 1 next year. Strike action by 100 GMB members in August was followed by tough negotiations with the company’s European Directors, resulting in an improved offer, after the first proposal was rejected by members. Our negotiators also delivered a reinstatement of an annual attendance bonus scheme worth £600 for those who have 0% absence for the year. This had impacted on around 60% of the membership. Steve Boden the Full time Officer handling the negotiations said: “This is a profitable company and after months of talks, 96% of the workforce rejected their first offer. We then balloted, got a 75% return of voting papers with 74.6% of members supporting strike action.” The company processes 144,000 tonnes of Aluminium containers and 59,000 tonnes for the motor industry each year, with profits of £80 million for 2018. Reaching a settlement was far from straightforward for negotiators to complete, with talks lasting over six months. It includes pay hikes up to 2.9% on top of a minimum increase of 1.5%, an extra day holiday for some shift workers, an increase in overtime payments in the lead up to the festive season and importantly the deal backdated to April 1st was overwhelmingly accepted in a ballot of union members. The company had initially tried to absorb the statutory increase in the minimum wage in the original offer “ Both issues were dealt with in the accepted offer. A total of 87% voted on what was the company’s third offer, but this time a yes vote put an end to the strike action which has affected around 400 staff and the company since August. One of the union officers involved in sealing the deal was Neil Holden, he said: “This was a hard fought battle which didn’t have to drag on so long, causing hardship to our members but the final settlement gives us not just a deal for this year but assurances for the future over a number of issues including back dated pay.” TRAINING The new year will see the start of a new round of trade union training getting under way with ten day induction courses in both Liverpool and Cheadle in February. As well as the induction courses for new reps we hope to deliver a number of advanced courses. These include a two day session called “Tackling Stress and Mental Health in the Workplace”. This proved to be very popular last year with over 100 members attending across the region including some delivered specifically in workplaces like Jacobs. We have re-vamped the two day Grievance and Disciplinary course to merge with Employment Law case work and we expect this will attract many reps to broaden their knowledge and experiences to help them represent members in difficult circumstances. STEVE ADDED I have to congratulate the site reps Matt Worthington, Neil Fray and Peter Allan for their organisational and communication skills throughout the dispute. and also wanted to restrict back pay to July instead of the anniversary date of April. inbrief ... A five day Risk Assessment/Health & Safety course introduce a wider range of activities to stretch the minds and improve our chances in the workplace using H&S law and practices. It was also extremely gratifying to note that 100% of the membership supported this action and not one GMB crossed the picket-line.” 4 5