24.04.2007

Tanfield workers strike

122 workers at Tanfield Engineering Systems, (TES) part of the group that owns UpRight powered access, are entering the second day of a one week strike over pay and yesterday agreed to a further weeks stoppage in a months time.

The workforce at Tanfield, represented by the Amicus, GMB and T&G unions, have said the 2.5 percent pay rise that they have been offered is "insulting" when the RPI measure of inflation is running at 4.6 percent.

A Tanfield Group spokesman is quoted in the local press as saying, "We still believe 2.5 percent represents a fair pay increase and would make the TES workers among the highest paid skilled workers in the North-East for their jobs."

TES is based in Stanley and carries out fabrication and manufacture work as well as assembly of electronics, pneumatics and hydraulics.

Vertikal Comment

TES supplies a number of local manufacturers including Caterpillar, The Aerial lift division of Tanfield takes very few components or parts from TES.