Striking Shropshire defence base workers take to picket lines again
Defence workers in Shropshire were striking again today in a national dispute over pay.
Workers at MoD Donnington took to their picket lines as part of a four-day walk-out.
Today, members of Unite union at the Defence Support Group held a rally at Casey's Cordingley Hall, Donnington in protest at an offer of a one per cent increase.
The group, which maintains and repairs military equipment for the Ministry of Defence, is being sold off to the private sector next year.
Workers at Donnington have been criticised for striking at a time when the base is in the running for a defence logistics contract that would secure its future.
Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard today described workers' actions as "ill-timed". He said: "The Unite union needs to work to secure the long term future of the base, not jeopardise it. This is an ill-timed strike, and only supported by a minority of defence personnel at the base."
Brett Davis, Unite member and DSG worker at MoD Donnington, said: "Over the last few years we have received massive pay cuts with pay freezes.
"It has gone down by 18 per cent over the past five years. We are not asking for an 18 per cent rise but we know that the company could afford a rise – they made £15 million profit last year. We are prepared to do what it takes."
The base is up against MoD Bicester in Oxfordshire in a bid to become the location for the MoD's single national logistics hub, which will be known as the National Defence Gateway. Success would safeguard 1,200 jobs.
