Thales: Workers at missile firm vote for industrial action

Workers at the Belfast site of the missile-making firm Thales have voted in favour of industrial action.

Unite confirmed their members voted 77.5% to strike for improved pay.

Thales employs more than 600 workers in NI and the company said it wanted to resolve the dispute "as quickly as possible".

A spokesperson for Unite said the company was taking its workforce for granted.

The Ministry of Defence awarded Thales two contracts worth millions of pounds last year. The contracts are part of a programme to develop a weapons system that uses no ammunition.

The company reported a 32% increase in profits to £1.4bn for 2021 with this year's profits forecast to rise by a further 15%.

Unite members had sought a wage increase of 8.1% in January of this year - in response management offered workers a 5% increase and a one-off payment of £500.

• Belfast missile-making firm Thales awarded MoD contracts

• Thales: MoD places £48m missile order in east Belfast

General secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, said: "The success of Thales in Northern Ireland has been trumpeted widely by the Tory government - indeed it was recently visited by a government minister. But those who contribute to that success are expected to accept a low ball five percent pay increase in the midst of a cost of living crisis.

"Workers at Thales deserve better. This is a hugely successful business which can afford to pay out a proper pay increase meeting our members' pay claim in full."

Rishi Sunak visited the Thales Defence System plant ahead of the Belfast Conservative Hustings in August

Unite regional coordinating officer, Susan Fitzgerald said that Thales management would be best advised to stop taking its workforce for granted.

A Thales spokesperson told BBC NI that they recognise trade unions and value the role they play and say they will continue to engage with representatives "in good faith to look to resolve this as quickly as possible".

"We have been engaging with our Belfast site and regional representatives for Unite the Union since the start of 2022 around pay but, unfortunately, despite a number of offers and discussions, we have been unable to reach an agreement.

"Following a ballot, Unite members at the site have voted to take industrial action. We are waiting to be formally told what form this will take and when," they added.