Mini Oxford plant strikes called off after pay offer

About 3,500 workers are based at the Cowley plant in Oxford

Four of eight planned strikes at Oxford's Mini plant have been called off after staff were offered an improved pay deal, a union has said.

Unite had warned about 150 warehouse workers based at the Cowley plant could have stopped work as early as 26 April.

But it said a first round of strikes has been postponed for votes on the improved pay deal from employer Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive Limited.

The company said it thought it had made staff an "industry leading offer".

Unite had said that the "absolutely critical" staff could have "severely disrupted" or even stopped production at the plant.

The union's planned strikes initially planned for 26 and 28 April and 4 and 6 May will not go ahead.

But if the pay offer is rejected, the planned strikes scheduled for 10, 12, 17 and 19 May will still take place.

Unite regional officer Scott Kemp said: "Following talks with Rudolph and Hellman, an improved offer was put forward by the company.

"Strikes have now been postponed and we will be balloting our members on whether the new deal meets their aspirations."

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A Rudolph and Hellman Automotive Limited spokesperson said: "I can confirm that we have made what we believe to be an industry leading offer to our employees which will go out to ballot week commencing 25 April."

A BMW Mini spokesperson said: "The company is pleased to hear that productive negotiations between Rudolph and Hellmann Automotive Limited and union representatives have resulted in the strikes being postponed and we hope the revised offer will close the issue."