JCB WORKERS BALLOTED OVER STRIKE ACTION

Nine-hundred workers at JCB's headquarters in Rocester are being balloted on strike action over changes to the way they are paid.

GMB members will decide in the next two weeks whether to walk out over a switch from weekly pay to a monthly wage system.

JCB employs more than 4,000 people at factories in Rocester, Cheadle and Uttoxeter. JCB notified the union early last year that it would be moving all workers to the monthly system, but in April, most members rejected the company's proposal of interest-free loans to help them during the transition.

GMB union has now sent out ballot papers to 900 hourly-paid shop floor workers from Rocester, and a further 300 from the company's factory in Wrexham.

JCB informed the GMB that the move would take place in April 2007, but through representation, because there is a factory shutdown in July and August, we argued it should be during that time. Earlier this year the company offered loans of £800 for day workers and £1,500 for the higher earners on shift patterns. The offer was put to GMB members, but it was rejected in a consultative ballot.

Keith Hodgkinson, Senior Organiser for the GMB, said workers have until July 5 to register their vote. "The company notified the union about 18 months ago that they were moving all workers from weekly to monthly pay”.

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For further information please contact Keith Hodgkinson, GMB Senior Organiser on Tel: 01785 255978 or Samantha Jones, Press Officer on Tel: 0121 550 4888.