Around 300 Siemens Gamesa wind turbine blade makers in Hull are being balloted for strike action over pay, Unite has announced.
The ballot was prompted by a 4.5% pay offer, along with an incentive scheme, which Unite said represents a below-inflation increase.
According to the union, since 2018, wages at the factory on the banks of the Humber estuary have dropped by 11.9% in real terms. This is due to below RPI inflation pay rises and the suppression of wages through a performance-related bonus scheme.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Siemens is a colossally profitable company, yet wages at its Hull factory have fallen in real terms year on year.
“The company is using the bonus scheme to suppress wages and the workforce have had enough. Unite does not accept attacks on our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and Siemens’ Hull workers have their union’s total backing.”
The workers are being balloted for strike action until July 24, with potential strikes set to be scheduled shortly after.
The facility produces 108-metre wind turbine blades, with supplies currently going to the ScottishPower Renewables’ 1.4GW East Anglia Three and Ocean Winds’ 882MW Moray West offshore windfarms.
Unite regional co-ordinating officer Harriet Eisner added: “Siemens Gamesa is set to cause huge disruption to its clients, which are constructing vital offshore windfarms, due to its own greed. There is still time to avoid industrial action, but that requires an offer from the company that is acceptable to our members.”
Parent company Siemens Group net income hit a record high of at €8.5 billion in the 2023 fiscal year.
However, Siemens Gamesa, the group’s renewables division, has repeatedly suffered losses in recent quarters – €365m for the second quarter of this year, against a €434m loss in the first quarter and around €4.6bn for all of 2023.
While recent results have suggested signs of a recovery, driving up shares in Siemens Energy, Siemens Gamesa is not expected to break even until 2026.
A Siemens Energy spokesperson told Energy Voice: “We are in ongoing negotiations with Unite and are therefore surprised by the timing of this communication.
We believe that negotiation is the best way to resolve any disagreement and are confident that we can reach agreement before any further action is taken.”
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