According to their union, more than 70% of the workforce at Acheson & Glover’s Toome site have walked out for four days this week.
The dispute arose when staff were offered a 2.5% pay increase for 2024/2025, representing a real terms pay cut with retail price index RPI inflation at 3.1%.
Acheson & Glover, better known as AG Building Products, produces landscape materials including paving flags, blocks, kerbstones and bricks.
The striking workers are members of the GMB trades union.
GMB senior organiser Alan Perry said: “GMB members have been pushed to the brink by years of below-inflation pay rises and enough is enough.
“The majority of our members at Toome earn less than the real living wage. They won’t be intimidated by management’s threats. This strike is about dignity and securing a fair wage for the hard-working employees who keep this business running and build the profits announced today.
“It’s unacceptable that workers with decades of service are barely earning above minimum wage while the company ignores their contributions.
“This fight is about ensuring that the value of our members’ skills and dedication is recognised and rewarded, we are more than happy to meet with management to find a resolution whenever they wish to open dialogue with us.”
A spokesperson for AG said: “AG Paving & Building Products is deeply saddened by the recent industrial action taken by a small portion of our operations staff at our Toome facility. Prioritising the wellbeing of our employees is a core value for us, and we are disappointed that negotiations did not yield a resolution before reaching this unfortunate point.
“The striking employees represent a small fraction of our dedicated workforce. Specifically, only 15 out of AG’s total 216 [group] employees have signed up to support the strike action. However, we recognise and respect their voices and opinions.
“Our commitment to our staff is evident in the actions we have taken over our 64-year history. In the past three years alone, we have significantly enhanced our employee benefits package, including a 12.5% pay increase. This demonstrates our dedication to fair compensation even amidst a challenging period for the construction industry.
“We believe in the power of constructive dialogue and have consistently sought to engage with all our staff and their representatives in good faith. Our goal has always been to reach mutually beneficial agreements that honour the contributions of our employees while ensuring the sustainability and success of our company.
“We remain hopeful for a swift and amicable resolution and are dedicated to upholding the values that have always guided AG.”
