Fife workers will carry out a 24-hour strike after rejecting a 3% pay increase.
Union GMB Scotland confirmed more than 30 members at FTV Proclad will take action from 7am on Wednesday until 6.59am on Thursday.
The Glenrothes manufacturer is part of the Proclad Group, one of the world’s leading solutions providers to the oil, gas and engineering sectors.
GMB Scotland said the action was due to a “long-running dispute concerning pay and conditions”.
It describes an offer of a 3% pay increase as “paltry” against soaring inflation.
The offer also follows four years of wage freezes.
Fife workers pay offer ‘not credible’
Workers are calling on the firm to table a significantly improved offer that tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
A further 24-hour strike at the Viewfield Industrial Estate business involving GMB members is scheduled for 7am on Wednesday next week.
GMB Scotland Organiser Chris Kennedy said: “A significantly below inflation pay offer from a self-styled global market and technological leader in offshore and engineering solutions is simply not credible.
“GMB members flatly rejected an initial pay freeze proposal from the company – after four consecutive years of pay freezes.
“They then also rejected the three per cent increase most recently tabled.
“This sends a loud and clear message about their expectations for pay and conditions.”
FTV Proclad investment in Fife
FTV Proclad’s has its headquarters in Dubai with additional manufacturing facilities in Singapore.
The business invested £2 million into its Glenrothes site in 2020 to double its welding capacity.
Mr Kennedy said it was not the time to invest more in staff wages. He insists FTV Proclad could “go further” on pay.
He adds: “Like millions of workers and their families up and down the country, our members are caught in the grip of this cost-of-living crisis.
“They need their wages to confront eye-watering energy bills and historically high inflation levels.
“Proclad can go further on pay. If the company wants to avoid further strikes in the weeks to come then management must table an improved offer for our members that demonstrates better value for the work they do.”
FTV ‘remain optimistic’ over resolution
A spokesperson FTV Proclad said: “Management believe that they have made a reasonable offer to the work force based on financial affordability and current market rates applicable and have focused on the job security and protection of the work force.
“The company continues to recover financially from challenging market conditions and have stated that their priority is safeguarding jobs, points not recognised by GMB who have miscommunicated the company’s position in its discussions with employees resulting in unreasonable demands being tabled.
“Management remains optimistic that common sense will prevail, and a practical solution can be reached.”
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