𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Workers at a leading defence and aerospace company are set to go on strike in November in a dispute over pay.

Unite says more than 3000 workers at Leonardo UK’s facilities in Scotland and England will walk out after the company refused to improve its pay offer.

The company is involved in a number of defence projects, with its site in Edinburgh producing advanced radars for military aircraft.

Workers at Leonardo’s Edinburgh and Newcastle sites will strike between November 5 and 6, then again between November 10 and 18.

At the Yeovil, Luton and Basildon sites, workers will strike between November 5 and 6, then again between November 12 and 13.

Union officials said staff were refused a better deal after declining the initial offer of 3.2%, which the union said represents a real-terms pay cut.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members are highly skilled and work on critical defence and aerospace systems, yet are being short-changed by a company making billions.

“Leonardo has had ample opportunity to do the right thing and make a decent offer that our members could have accepted. Instead, they have refused and will now see the anger of our members on the picket line outside their factories.

“This is a dispute entirely of their own making and our members will have the full support of Unite in their fight for decent pay.”

A spokesman for Leonardo said: “We are disappointed by the decision to take industrial action, but are working with all areas of our business to mitigate any potential disruption to our customers.

“The company has made a very fair and competitive offer that has the potential to pay employees 9.2% over the course of the two-year pay deal, representing a package of fixed and variable pay.

“We remain available to continue constructive discussions with the union to resolve the situation.”