Workers at WSP textiles take further strikes. Snooker baize and tennis ball felt supplies at risk.
Sporting tournaments like Wimbledon and the Snooker World Championships could be at risk as workers at the Gloucestershire factory which makes the balls and baize fabrics take further strike action.
Workers at WSP textiles are striking due to the company refusing to make a fair pay offer. Unite members at WSP are furious at the 2.35 per cent pay offer that the company has put forward given the current cost of living crisis. Most earn little more than the minimum wage and haven't had an above-inflation pay rise in years.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Workers at WSP do an extremely skilled job that allows highly-paid sports stars to bring pleasure to millions around the world.
 
“This is a profitable company which is attempting to deny its workers fair pay. Our members will have the full support of their union in this fight."
 
WSP workers at the factories in Stroud and Dursley, Gloucestershire, produce some of the most famous sporting cloth in the world. The tennis ball felt is used by manufacturers like Wilson, Slazenger and Dunlop and used at Wimbledon, the French and Australian Open. Their snooker baize is used to cover tables across the globe and used in World Snooker Tour tournaments in the UK, USA and China.
Previous strikes dates have already seen the factories grind to a halt and given the lack of anew offer from WSP, workers have been left with little choice but to escalate industrial action. They began a new set of strikes today 2-7 February and 11-13 February.
WSP made nearly £1.4 million in profits in 2024 with over £23 million of revenue. The highest paid director at the company earns nearly £100,000 yet production line workers earn under £13ph.
Unite regional officer Michael Hobbs added: "WSP has failed to recognise the anger among its workforce. Given it has failed to make a fair pay offer, our members are forced to take further strike action.
“WSP need to come back to the negotiating table with a much better offer or major tennis and snooker events will be under threat and WSP will be rightly blamed."