Over 90% vote for strike action in Leo Lynch and H.A. O’Neill

“Travel Time” restoration could mean 12.8% extra in gross pay

March 2nd: Unite, which represents workers across the economy, today (Thursday) announced that plumbers, pipefitters and welders in two major companies have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action in pursuit of a claim for restoration of the first hour of “Travel Time”.  These grades working for Leo Lynch and H.A. O’Neill (Jones Engineering) voted by over 90% to take action following the ongoing failure to restore the first hour of “Travel Time”, which was originally cut as a so-called ‘temporary measure’ following the 2008 financial crash.  Workers at Leo Lynch and H.A. O’Neill will take strike action on 10 March.

Mechanical workers in the sector still have not seen their pay rates return to pre-crisis levels. Restoration of the first hour of “Travel Time” would mean an increase of up to 12.8% in gross pay at a time when workers continue to be hit by the cost-of-living crisis.  Unite members working for other mechanical employers are also being balloted for industrial action in pursuit of travel time.

Commenting, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

“The cost-of-living crisis continues to pummel workers who are still counting the cost of austerity-era pay cuts which forced them to pick up the tab for a crisis not of their making. Leo Lynch and H.A. O’Neill are highly profitable companies and can well afford to restore the first hour of travel time – a move which would equate to an average 12.8% increase on gross pay.  Unite is currently conducting strike ballots in other mechanical companies, and employers in the sector should be in no doubt regarding our determination to see this grossly unfair cut reversed and our members’ pay increased”.

Unite regional officer Rob Kelly added:

“The action by our members in H.A. O’Neill and Leo Lynch comes after Unite exhausted all other avenues to achieve restoration of the first hour of “Travel Time”. The fact that the vote in favour of strike action was over 90% reflects our members’ anger at the refusal by these highly profitable employers to reverse what was initially supposed to be a temporary cut imposed over a decade ago.  It is not too late for the employers to engage with Unite and agree to restoration of the first hour of ‘Travel Time’ before our members down tools on 10 March.  In the event that they refuse to do so, two further days of strike action are scheduled, and Unite is continuing to ballot members working for other mechanical companies.  Unite members are not prepared to subside employers’ profits during a cost-of-living crisis”, Mr Kelly concluded.