All industrial action at Leonardo, the defence contractor, has come to an end following a new pay deal agreed with union leaders on Tuesday, November 25. Over 3,000 workers had staged strikes throughout November in protest over pay negotiations.
The Unite union has accepted an offer of an 8% pay increase spread over two years. This agreement marks a substantial improvement over previous offers, which had been rejected by union members.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham praised the workers' resolve, stating, “There is power in a union, and the workers at Leonardo should be proud of the pay rise they have achieved. They stood firm against a company generating billions in profits. Our members play a crucial role in keeping the UK safe and truly deserve this victory.”
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Unite’s National Aerospace Officer, Rhys McCarthy, added, “This is a positive outcome for aerospace workers and sends a strong message to employers in the sector. Unite members know their worth and are willing to take industrial action to secure fair pay. Unite remains the union that wins for aerospace workers.”
Leonardo is a key employer in Yeovil’s local economy. The company recently secured a £165 million government contract to maintain the Royal Navy’s helicopter fleet, supporting 200 local jobs and an additional 800 positions across the country.
Union members had previously rejected pay rise proposals of 3.2% and 3.6%—both below the current inflation rate of 4.5%, which Unite characterized as a real-terms pay cut.
Strike action at the Yeovil site occurred on November 12 and 13, with workers in Edinburgh, Newcastle, Basildon, and Luton also taking industrial action on various dates throughout the month.