Thousands of Leonardo staff walk out in dispute over pay

Thousands of staff at aerospace firm Leonardo have walked out in a dispute over pay, on the first of a number of planned days of strike action.

Hundreds of workers took to picket lines at the company’s site in Edinburgh, while similar scenes are understood to have taken place at the firm’s sites throughout Scotland and England.

The walk-out came after workers rejected a 3.6% pay offer from the firm, which the Unite union said was “well below” inflation and so a real terms pay cut.

The union added that this came at a time Leonardo UK is making hundreds of millions of pounds in profit each year.

Workers on the picket line in Edinburgh gathered at the entrances to the site on Crewe Road North, waving placards and red Unite banners, and cheering whenever passing cars beeped their horns in support.

They were also asking delivery vehicles not to cross the picket line, and many – including a Royal Mail van – elected to turn around rather than do so.

One striker told the PA news agency many more workers were staying at home, and that production at the site had “stopped”.

Unite regional officer Carrie Binnie said it was the first walk-out at the company for 35 years.

“Leonardo have offered a below-inflation pay rise for their staff, and this has been rejected twice now,” she said.

“They did make an improvement last week, but it was still well below inflation, and that’s been rejected a second time.

“We had really hoped that they would come back to the table, renegotiate, meet our demands, and they’ve failed to do so, hence why we’re out on strike today.”

Ms Binnie added that the Unite union was happy to speak to the company “at any time”, and that it was willing to put any improved offer to its members.

“I like to think when Unite members take such a drastic step to take industrial action, it does refocus management on why their staff are their biggest asset and why they’re needed most,” she said.

“So if they’ve been impacted by today’s action, they should come back to the table and speak with us.”

She also acknowledged that strike action is “extremely difficult” for Unite’s members, and that the union had “tried really hard” to avoid it.

“We work really hard to negotiate with employers and get members fair deals, and usually, most employers will reach a negotiating stage, which goes through positively with their members,” she explained.

“To be forced to take action such as this is extremely difficult for our members to do, but unless Leonardo come forward with something fair that’s not a pay cut for our members, then there’s no other choice for them.”

Strikes are due at Leonardo facilities in Yeovil, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Basildon and Luton on November 12 and 13.

There will be further strikes at Edinburgh and Basildon on several dates running up to November 25.

At the Yeovil site, there will be further strikes on November 25 to 28.

A Leonardo spokesperson said: “We are obviously disappointed that the revised pay offer negotiated by senior Unite representatives and supported by full time Unite officials on behalf of Leonardo members has not been positively received by the membership.

“Strike action is now inevitable for our Leonardo UK Basildon, Edinburgh, Luton, Newcastle and Yeovil sites.

“We have taken all steps possible to minimise disruption to our business and our customers.

“We would welcome Unite back to the table in a bid to reach a resolution.”