Unite members at Govan and Reading plants reject unacceptable pay offer

Unite has confirmed that 300 workers employed by defence manufacturer Thales are being balloted for strike action in a pay dispute.

Hundreds of Unite members based at the  Thales’ sites in Govan, Glasgow and dozens in the company’s Reading headquarters are involved in the ballot after rejecting a pay offer below the current rate of inflation. 

Thales remains the sole supplier of periscopes and optronics masts to the Royal Navy. The company has record levels of orders with the Ministry of Defence recently announcing export deals for Thales worth £1.1 billion sustaining hundreds of jobs in Glasgow. 

The workers involved in the ballot include electronics, software and systems engineers along with manufacturing and mechanical technicians.

The ballot opens on 2 June and closes on 23 June. 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Our Thales members are highly skilled and work on critical defence and security systems, but the company’s  pay offer is treating the workers with contempt.

 "Thales is very wealthy with a record order book. It needs to do the right thing for its workers in Glasgow and Reading by making an improved offer which our members can accept."

Thales UK registered £179.3 million in combined operating profits in 2023 and 2024.   

Unite regional coordinator Elaine Dougall said: "Thales is recording tens of millions in profit and it is making billions from UK government contracts.

"Thales needs to return to the negotiating table with an improved offer, or they will face the anger of their workforce on the picket line."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For media enquiries contact: Andrew Brady on 07810 157922 or andrew.brady@unitetheunion.org

Unite Scotland is the country’s biggest and most diverse trade union with around 150,000 members.