Workers at one of Co Fermanagh’s largest employers Balcas Timber are to ballot for strike action in a pay dispute with bosses, according to the Unite union.
It says around 280 workers at the firm’s wood-mill and combined heat power (CHP) plant in Killadeas have rejected a below-inflation pay increase offered by the company.
Its most recently published accounts show that its retained profits more than doubled from £5.2 million to £14.2 million on sales of more than £143 million.
Balcas Timber’s ultimate parent is Longford-headquartered Glennon Bros Holdings Ltd, run by brothers Patrick (63) and Mike (60) Glennon.
The second biggest timber manufacturer in the UK, it employs 360 direct employees as well as 300 others who are engaged in forest harvesting and haulage.
Unite has notified management at Balcas Timber of its intent to conduct a strike ballot of the workforce.
The strike ballot will open on Tuesday April 16 and remain open for three weeks until Tuesday May 7.
Unite claims the workforce is paid £10.68 an hour, which is only now being increased to £11.44 to comply with national minimum wage legislation.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Balcas and Glennon Brothers are highly successful and profitable companies who can easily afford to provide a fair pay increase. Their failure to do so is a cynical attempt to further boost profits at the expense of workers’ wellbeing.
“Unite always focusses on the jobs, pay and conditions of its workers and the Balcas workforce can be certain of our total support.”
The workers at the wood mill submitted a pay claim seeking a cost of living pay increase to maintain pay differentials with the legal minimum, the introduction of a sick pay scheme and a one day increase in holiday entitlement.
Unite regional officer for the workforce Gareth Scott said: “Working in a saw mill is a tough and challenging job and the pay these workers receive just doesn’t reflect that reality.
“Management needs to recognise the mounting severity of this industrial dispute – it can only be resolved if management returns to the table with a pay offer that meets our members’ expectations.”
