Defence agency workers to be balloted for strike action in pay dispute
Workers at Defence Equipment & Support, based in Bristol, are to vote on whether to take industrial action.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Workers at a defence agency are to be balloted for industrial action in a dispute over pay.
Members of the Prospect union at Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), will vote in the coming weeks on whether to launch a campaign of action.
The union said the employer failed to meet its pay claim and imposed an “unagreed” offer for 2023-2024 of 3.25% or less.
Prospect is recommending that members vote yes to both strike action, and action short of strike.
Instead of recognising their invaluable work, their employer is attempting to impose another significant cut in pay, with an offer below that negotiated elsewhere in the public sector, and far below their private sector counterparts
The agency is responsible for managing MoD procurement across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, and for support programmes for the UK’s armed forces.
Its headquarters is located at the MoD’s Abbey Wood complex in Bristol.
Prospect General Secretary, Mike Clancy, said: “Our members at DE&S are committed experts dedicated to keeping our country safe in an increasingly dangerous world.
“Yet instead of recognising their invaluable work, their employer is attempting to impose another significant cut in pay, with an offer below that negotiated elsewhere in the public sector, and far below their private sector counterparts.
“Industrial action is always a last resort. It is not too late for the employer to come back to the table and make a better offer.”
A DE&S spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that Prospect have taken the decision to hold an industrial action ballot over the 2023/24 pay offer, which was implemented last September after negotiations with our recognised trades unions.
“More than half of DE&S employees received base pay increases of at least 3.25% – the figure quoted by Prospect – with some of our lowest paid employees receiving as much as 14.63% in uplifts. The overall average base pay increase across all employees in 2023/24 was 5.1%.”