Glen Dimplex staff in Portadown are taking two days of strike action beginning today Monday 5th January.

The strike represents an escalation of a pay dispute which saw workers strike for one day December. Approximately 30 workers will strike across a variety of specialist roles including maintenance, engineering, quality, administrative and supervisory functions.

The strike commenced at 00:01 today and will continue until 02:00 on Wednesday [7 January] with pickets lines from 07:00 hours.

The staff voted unanimously for strike action having rejected previous inadequate pay offers.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Glen Dimplex is treating its workforce with contempt, it needs to start treating its loyal workforce fairly and decently

“The workers at Glen Dimplex have the full support of their union behind them.”

Glen Dimplex staff at Portadown are seeking a pay rise to address years of imposed below-inflation settlements and restoring fair pay. The staff grades at the site – a base for the manufacture of storage heaters – secured union recognition following previous successful strike action by production workers.

Unite regional officer Neil Moore said, “Our members have returned to the picket line because of the inability of management to negotiate a resolution. The decision-makers at Glen Dimplex need to sit down and engage with Unite to find an end to this dispute and avoid the prospect of further strike escalation.”

-ENDS-