Strike could follow rejection of pay offer

Following its members’ 95% rejection of a management pay offer tied to changes in terms and conditions, union Unite will ballot its members at the plant for strike action.

Unite Regional Officer Sean McKeever said: “Interface is one of the most successful carpet tile manufacturers in the world having bases in Thailand, China, the US and Netherlands. Its 2013 Annual Report indicates that on total sales of $960 million, its ‘operating income’ was $96 million (or 10% of total turnover).

“While the company’s shareholders have benefited from this high rate of profit, our hard-working members have endured years of seeing their wages remain stagnant. Management offered workers a paltry pay rise that sought to link increases with unacceptable changes to our members’ terms and conditions.

“The ballot will be commencing over the next number of weeks. We hope that, in the intervening period, common sense will prevail and that management will enter into meaningful discussions with a decent pay offer. It is now up to management to take the steps necessary to avert industrial action,” Mr McKeever concluded.