Workers win five per cent pay package rise

Unite, Scotland’s leading union, has secured a new wage deal for workers employed at the James Walker Devol plant based in Gourock. 

Around 100 engineers who are responsible for manufacturing components for the construction, oil, gas and railway sectors around the globe are set to receive an increase in their pay package worth five per cent. 

The deal which is effective from April includes a basic pay increase of 4.25 per cent plus a one-off payment of £100.

There is an additional holiday of one day and improvements to the company bonus scheme. Collective bargaining at the Gourock factory has also been widened to include apprentices. 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The James Walker Devol workforce has secured another good pay deal. Unite does what it says on the tin: we deliver better jobs, pay and conditions.”  

In November 2022, the workforce voted in favour of trade union recognition and for Unite to represent them in negotiations over jobs, pay and conditions. The union also announced in July last year that in the first year of formal pay negotiations with the company pay rises of up to 12.5 per cent were secured. All workers received a £2,500 annual pay uplift. 

Pat McIlvogue, Unite industrial officer, said: “Less than two years ago Unite couldn’t even formally bargain on jobs, pay and conditions at James Walker Devol. Now we have negotiated good back to back pay packages. The deal was overwhelmingly backed by the workers.”

ENDS 

 

Notes to Editors

 

For media enquiries please contact Andrew Brady on 07810157922.

Email andrew.brady@unitetheunion.org

 

Unite Scotland is the country’s biggest and most diverse trade union with around 150,000 members. The union is led in Scotland by Derek Thomson.