MG Rover workers in strike ballot

Workers at car giant MG Rover are to be balloted on strikes after rejecting a pay offer.

The 2.2% offer was turned down by 81% of employees based at the company's factory in Longbridge, Birmingham.

Dave Osborne, national officer of the Transport and General Workers' Union, said: "The size of the vote sends a clear message to the board of MG Rover that they are out of touch with the workforce."

The company said it was "at a loss" to understand the unions' logic.

Mr Osborne said: "The offer does not address the concerns of our members, particularly on sick pay provision, and we hope that in the light of the massive vote of rejection the company will come back with an improvement.

"We will be making an application to ballot our members on industrial action as it is apparent from this vote just how dissatisfied they are with the company's offer."

A total of 2,704 members of the TGWU, Amicus and the GMB unions rejected the offer, with 619 voting in support.

As well as the 2.2% pay increase, MG Rover offered improvements in maternity pay and extra annual leave.

An MG Rover spokesman said the offer was identical to one already accepted by workers in its engine division.

The company was "absolutely astonished" when unions recommended rejection of the offer. Around 5,200 workers are based at Longbridge, which produces all the MG and Rover models.

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