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Glasgow manufacturing workers strike for better pay

MORE than 80 Glasgow manufacturing workers are on strike in a long-running pay dispute.

The plant in Polmaddie on the city’s south side, which manufactures components for the defence and oil and gas sectors, is run by US-based Waukesha Bearings.

The firm enjoyed post-tax profits of £11.8 million in 2022, growing from £6.6m a year earlier.

Despite growing profits, workers at the company were made a pay offer which they and their union Unite say neither rewards their efforts in generating it nor acknowledges the double-digit inflation experienced over the last year.

Waukesha’s offer of 4.75 per cent — 6.25 per cent if workers accepted cuts to sick pay — was overwhelmingly rejected as 89 per cent of workers voted to take industrial action beginning with an overtime ban earlier this month, before escalating strike action this week.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said Waukesha is “acting out of greed not need.”

Unite industrial officer Andrew Brown said: “Strike action will begin this week and we will not rule out further industrial action in the near future unless the company sees sense and makes a better offer.”

Waukesha Bearings was contacted for comment.

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