Chester-le-Street staff call off strike threat at Birtley Group

The strike at Birtley Group and Bowater Doors in Chester-le-Street looked set to hit supplies for customers such as Redrow, Bovis, Persimmon, Crest Nicholson and Countryside Properties.

But the Unite union now says  the action has been suspended following a new offer. 

Read more: Go North East Chester-le-Street depot strikes announced

Birtley Group and Bowater Doors share the same premises and are both owned by Hill & Smith Holdings PLC.

More than 120 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, were due to begin 13 days of strike action at the two companies on Wednesday. A continuous overtime ban has also been suspended. 

The union says that if the pay offer is rejected, 16 days of strike action scheduled to begin on Sunday 4 September will go ahead and the overtime ban will be reinstated. 

Unite regional officer Pat McCourt said: “Following negotiations with Birtley Group and Bowater Doors an improved pay offer was put forward. We have now suspended the 13 days of strike action due to begin this Wednesday to allow our members to be balloted on the new offer.”

The Birtley Group site in Chester-le-Street

The Birtley workforce produce lintels for the construction industry, while Bowater produce UPVC doors for residential and business customers.

When the action was first announced, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said; “The parent company is making record profits on the backs of our members hard work. It can fully afford to make a fair pay award but has chosen not to.

“Our members at Birtley Group and Bowater Doors, many of whom are barely earning above the minimum wage, will receive Unite’s total support until this dispute is resolved.”

The union had claimed workers were on different grades receiving different increases, all of which were below the rate of inflation.

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