Rolls Royce Strike Ballot to Start Next Week and Union Warns Action Could Spread

LONDON, July 28 -- Amicus members at the Rolls Royce plant at Filton, Bristol will receive ballots for strike action next week in a dispute over the sacking of an Amicus convenor at the site.

94 Amicus test engineers working on the site will receive forms next Wednesday (3rd August) for the week long ballot. If they vote in favour, industrial action at the site could commence as early as 17th August.

Amicus say they cannot rule out the possibility that any industrial action could spread after its senior convenors in aerospace and shipbuilding, representing over 70,000 Amicus members, met yesterday to offer their support.

The National Aerospace and Shipbuilding Committee members pledged to support the sacked convenor, Jerry Hicks, through petitions, and letters of support to Jerry and letters of protest to Rolls Royce. The committee members also voted to make donations to Jerry's fighting fund.

Jerry Hick's Appeal hearing at Rolls Royce will begin tomorrow, Friday 29th July at 10 am. Rolls Royce took the decision to sack Jerry after a disciplinary hearing which concluded last Thursday (21st July). Amicus say that Jerry has been targeted because of his work as a trade union official.

Ian Waddell, Amicus' National Officer for Aerospace and Shipbuilding said:

"We hope that tomorrow's Appeal hearing will see Jerry reinstated but if that fails it is likely our members will vote to take strike action to protect their on-site convenor. I hope that Rolls Royce will see sense and make the necessary moves to avert damaging strike action.

"Rolls Royce are scapegoating an individual for poor industrial relations on the site of their own making. It's difficult to see the dismissal as anything other than a cynical move to attack workers and the union to enable them to maximise their already record profits."

Rolls-Royce have announced GBP269 million half year profits today, a 54% rise on the previous half year.

For further information please contact Catherine Bithell on +44-(0)20-7-420-8909 or +44-(0)7958-473-224