Staff employed at car manufacturer BMW, working at its plant in Cowley, Oxford, have voted to accept a three-year pay deal.
The deal was negotiated with trade union Unite, and 81% of balloted members voted in favour of the pay agreement.
Cowley-based staff, who build cars such as the Mini, will receive a 3% pay increase and a 0.5% bonus in 2019, backdated to January of this year. In 2020 and 2021, employees will be awarded a further 0.5% bonus and a pay rise of either 2.75% or the retail price index (RPI) rate of inflation as published in December each year, depending on which is higher.
Agency employees are also covered by the agreement; overall, the deal will affect approximately 3,500 members of staff.
Fred Hanna, regional officer at Unite, said: “This pay deal was the result of intensive pay negotiations between Unite and BMW and recognises the important role of the Cowley workforce within the German car giant.
“Not only is it inflation-proofed, but agency [staff] at the Cowley site are also covered and will receive the same bonus payments that permanent employees get.
“Covering the next three years, the pay deal also gives [employees] who make the iconic Mini certainty over their incomes, and demonstrates the value of being a member of Unite and the collective bargaining that Unite members enjoy.”
BMW was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
