The union representing nearly 3,000 workers at Leonardo said its members at sites in the United Kingdom may soon walk out in dispute over pay.
Workers are being balloted for industrial action after rejecting a pay offer of 3.2 percent, which the Unite union calls a “real terms pay cut.”
“Our members are highly skilled and work on critical defence and aerospace systems yet are being short-changed by a company making billions,” said Unite general secretary Sharon Graham in a statement.
“Leonardo needs to do the right thing, come back to the negotiating table and make an improved offer our members can accept.”
The ballot runs until early October.
“Leonardo is incredibly wealthy and makes billions from U.K. government contracts. It is entirely unacceptable that it sees fit to make a poor pay offer to a highly skilled and valuable workforce,” said Unite national officer for aerospace Rhys McCarthy.
“Unite is making it clear that unless Leonardo quickly returns to the negotiating table with an improved offer, they will see the anger of their workforce on the picket line.”
