Around 80 workers went on strike today at a Brierley Hill steel works after pay negotiations reached stalemate.
Union members staged the walkout at C Brown Steel Group in protest at a proposed salary increase of three per cent.
They are calling for double the figure, claiming the rise is needed as many of the workers are on minimum wage.
But bosses at the steel processing firm in Pedmore Road are refusing to budge saying their offer is fair. Senor shop steward, Geoff Gregory, 50, of Quarry Bank, who has been at the firm for 21 years, said workers planned to strike again on Friday.
He added: “They are difficult and dangerous jobs. We shouldn’t have people only getting minimum wage for doing these sort of jobs.”
Wolverhampton HGV driver, Roland Ball, 51, who has worked at the company for five years, said: “I came here to drive a lorry carrying nine tonnes of steel. I am now driving a lorry carrying the 16 tonnes of steel for the same rate.”
Steel shearer Brian Priest, 61, of Cradley Heath, said: “Over the last few years, the company has reported record profits but many of the wages have remained at the minimum rate.”
Managing director Neville Brown said: “We have made our offer. We believe it is a fair offer. It is a very sad day for Browns.”
5 Comments
in this day and age workers should not work for just minimum wage with all the haded cost we have to pay out now
just get back to work while you still have a job if an offer as been given then stop striking and do your work before it’s closed down like rover the beans works glassworks etc,you don’t say how much an hour your all on,and i bet it’s not the minimum wage.
Besty - most of the steel industry manual labour gets very little above the minimum wage, whilst doing jobs that carry inherent danger, and believe me I speak from experience, having worked for a similar firm for over 15 years.
I wonder if you would perform such a task for the money they get paid - often having to work in excess of the 48 hour working week just to make ends meet?
Good luck to all of you at Brown’s, maybe other steel processors will follow suit!
I’ve worked in steel and aluminium foundries and forging shops all my life, and fail to see why lorry drivers should get paid more for carryimg a heavier load. It’s not as if you load it yourself is it? We do dangerous jobs for the pay we agreed when we took them on, so stop dodging before Mr Brown sells out to India/China somewhere else and you all end up on the dole!!
In the current climate i think people need to be happy they have a job, regardless of wage