Around 100 workers at dairy co-operative Dale Farm in Northern Ireland have voted to accept an improved pay deal, bringing ongoing industrial action to an end.
The workers, who are represented by trade union Unite, are based at four of Dale Farm’s production sites in Cookstown, Ballymena, Omagh and Enniskillen. They are employed as drivers and engineers.
They were originally offered a 3% pay rise by their management, but felt it was not adequate. As a result, they announced plans for industrial action, commencing with an three-day strike on 20 September and escalating to an all-out strike action in the fourth week.
The farm’s management followed this with an improved offer worth an extra 4.75%, which the workers voted to accept.
The drivers will now receive an additional increase on their bulk tank allowance, which refers to the amount of fuel someone can store without needing a license, while engineers will receive an additional maintenance payment. Both of these are worth 1.75%.
A spokesperson for Dale Farm said: “Following a process of collective conciliation, we have reached agreement with Unite the Union and a small group of our workforce, bringing this matter to a resolution.
“This agreement means there will be no industrial action in the coming weeks, allowing all parties to focus on delivering quality dairy products for our customers and consumers, and our farmers can be assured that milk will continue to be collected as normal. As a cooperative, we value our employee relations and are committed to continuing to foster a supportive workplace and values-led culture.”
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, added: “Dale Farm workers have scored a clear win on pay. This result demonstrates the importance of having strong unions in the workplace to deliver on workers’ jobs, pay and conditions.”
Simon Hall, regional officer for the Dale Farm workforce at Unite, added: “Unite members have voted to accept a significantly improved pay offer. This goes some way towards improving the rate of pay of a skilled workforce.”
