Members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, employed by Babcock Defence Support Group (DSG) on the British army engineering and maintenance contract, are considering strike action, following a derisory pay offer.

The approximately 1,400 workers on the contract have rejected a derisory pay increase which is worth on average 2.20 per cent per worker. This is a substantial real terms pay cut as the RPI inflation rate is 4.1 per cent and is set to rise further.

Babcock caught red handed 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Babcock has been caught red handed trying to fob our members off with a derisory pay offer. In reality this is a large real terms pay cut.

“This is a very wealthy company which can fully afford to pay its workers a decent pay increase but is choosing not to out of sheer greed.”

Key army engineering and maintenance roles

The Babcock workers are employed in engineering and maintenance roles primarily keeping the British Army transport fleet, including Challenger tanks, operational and battle ready. The workers are based at a large number of sites across the UK including: Ashchurch, Bovington, Catterick, Donnington in Telford and Warminster.

In addition, for being responsible for the army’s transport the workers also undertake maintenance of weaponry and can be deployed overseas on various projects.

Growing recruitment and retention

The workers report that Babcock is suffering a growing recruitment and retention crisis with workers being paid between £6,000 - £10,000 below what mechanics working on large vehicles are being paid. To add insult to injury, Babcock is trying to increase the working week by an hour and to pay it at time and half. The company claims this amounts to a significant pay increase.

Babcock is a very successful and wealthy company. Its 2025 accounts showed an operating profit of £364 million.

Having rejected Babcock’s pay offer the workers are now considering balloting for industrial action, if the company does not return to the negotiating table with an improved offer.

ENDS

Notes to editors:
 
For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications advisor Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235.
 
Email: barckley.sumner@unitetheunion.org
 
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Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham