Crane Building Services & Utilities in Hitchin faces industrial unrest due to a pay dispute involving union members.
- A decisive 97% of GMB members at the company voted for strike action, following a substantial turnout of 84%.
- Ongoing negotiations, including ACAS talks, have failed to resolve the disagreement over a 5% pay increase proposal.
- GMB criticises the offer as insufficient, urging management to present a more acceptable proposal to prevent production impact.
- The company’s founding principles, advocating fairness and justice for employees, are cited amidst tensions.
In Hitchin, Crane Building Services & Utilities, a renowned US-based manufacturer of flow control products, is experiencing significant industrial unrest. The situation arises from a deadlock in discussions between the company’s management and the GMB union over proposed pay increases. Following a recent ballot, a striking 97% of GMB members voted in favour of industrial action, indicating a profound dissatisfaction with the current pay offer.
The turnout for the vote was notably high, with 84% of eligible union members participating in the decision to strike. This overwhelming approval for strike action underscores the strength of feeling and resolve among the workforce, many of whom are skilled workers who feel undervalued by the company’s current offer of a 5% pay rise.
For several weeks, negotiations have been ongoing, including engagements mediated by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), yet these have not yielded a resolution. The union asserts that the proposed pay increment does not adequately reflect the skill level and dedication of the workforce, describing it as an affront to the employees’ contributions.
Andre Marques, the GMB’s London regional organiser, has strongly criticised the company’s stance, referencing the historical values of the company’s founder, RT Crane. “These are skilled workers and 5% is an insult to our members, and hardly in keeping with the resolution of the company founder, RT Crane,” Marques declared, urging management to reconsider and present a “meaningful increase that our members can accept.”
RT Crane, the company’s founder, had established principles of fairness and just treatment towards employees, which the company claims still guide their operations today. However, the current impasse challenges the company’s adherence to these founding values, with the union urging management to reflect on the principles as they negotiate with employees.
The resolution of this industrial action will test Crane Building Services & Utilities’ commitment to its founding values amidst ongoing negotiations.
