Ford Dagenham strikers say they’re ‘having a huge impact’

Workers at Ford plants in east London and Liverpool struck this week

Unite union members on the picket line in Dagenham during the Ford strike 

(Picture: Guy Smallman)

By Arthur Townend
Thursday 14 November 2024

SOCIALIST WORKER Issue

Over 1,000 workers at Ford car plants in Dagenham in east London and Speke in Liverpool are fighting over pay and contracts. The Unite union members were set to round off a five day strike on Friday.

There were high spirits among maintenance and operations workers on the picket line at Ford Dagenham on Thursday.

Kerry, the Unite rep, said that the “initial trigger was contract negotiations”. “But that turned out not to be a negotiation—it was an ultimatum. We had to accept their diminished terms, or we get nothing at all,” she told Socialist Worker.

“Ford wants to link our pay to performance, which is unacceptable. Whatever the pay rise is supposed to be, we might not get it because of things that aren’t in our control that affects performance.

“We’ve seen that pay linked to performance doesn’t work with teachers, and we’ve tried to tell Ford this.”

Bosses have offered many office workers a one-off payment for this year and performance related pay for all workers from next year. Striker Dave said, “It’s basically a bonus—but with a lump sum, we’re always going to be behind. Even if we just get a 1 percent pay rise, that’s consolidated year on year.

“Ford is just trying to swing it, saying that it’s a 5 percent pay increase when it isn’t. And it’s all based on our managers’ judgement, so even if we meet our targets that doesn’t mean we get a pay rise.”

Another striker, Dan, said, “The union is trying to talk to Ford, but the company isn’t actually listening to what we’re saying. It just says, ‘We know you’re unhappy about pay’, but it’s not just that.

“It’s being framed as a pay dispute, and of course pay is part of the issue, but the terms and conditions are the main problem.

“There are three main things we’re unhappy about and pay is the least of it. Ford is trying to change our terms and conditions and putting in unfair process that mean we can never meet the targets to get the supposed pay rise.”

Kerry said an absence review process Ford is trying to implement will hit sick and disabled workers. “People on long term sick—through cancer or other serious illnesses—aren’t protected anymore,” she said.

“Ford could turn around and say that a person may be unfit for work, so that forces some workers into a precarious position.”

Strikers are confident that they’re having an impact. Kerry said, “It’s always a struggle to get people on a picket line, but workers here feel strongly about this. When we balloted, 70 percent voted for strikes.

“We’re hoping our impact will force Ford to come and talk to us. But Ford hasn’t seen anything yet.”

Kerry added that the Ford workers’ fight was part of a bigger one. “Today, we have zero hours contracts and huge job instability,” she said. “A good, stable job used to be an aspiration, but now we’re forced to feel greedy or privileged for wanting that kind of job, and struggling to get those conditions is seen as bad.

“In this world, which is not a functioning world, you have to rely on the government and food banks even when you have a job, and that’s just not right.

“We need to get back to a place of good working class jobs to get that stability, and strikes are an important tool to get that.”Some workers’ names are pseudonyms