Industrial action feared as unions plan to ballot Rolls Royce staff |
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Sat, 23 Jul 2005 02:35
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LONDON: Rolls Royce bosses and union officials are slated for a face-off after hundreds of workers at its Bristol factory staged an unofficial walkout over the dismissal of shop steward Jerry Hicks.
About 400 manual workers walked out in protest following the management’s punitive action against Hicks earlier in the week. Hicks was suspended for having incited co-workers to go on unofficial strike in support of two other staff members who faced the sack. After an obligatory hearing on Wednesday a disciplinary panel accused Hicks of “gross misconduct” and decided to dismiss him.
Neither the Rolls Royce management nor union officials offered a comment or even said when the talks would take place.
At another meeting held today, union convenors from all the other Rolls Royce sites in the UK had more or less decided the next course of action. Having pledged their support for Hicks, they called for a ballot for industrial action. Trade union Amicus is ready to go ahead with the ballot.
The union has over 3,000 manual members on the site, all of whom could join in protest against the Rolls Royce management’s action, according to a union statement yesterday. It is believed the union action in Bristol could escalate across the nation.
Managing director Tony Wood believed the gross misconduct of one of their employees (referring to Hicks) has been blown up into a conflict with the trade union and undermined the lawful and legitimate legal process of handling of issues involving other employees.
The Rolls Royce management urged workers to return to work and consider the long term prosperity of the Bristol factory. The company makes military jet engines at this plant.
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