Greenock Telegraph | News | Workers make a stand over holiday concession

Friday, 9th January, 2009

Published: Friday, 15th February, 2002 00:00

Workers make a stand over holiday concession

AROUND 150 workers at an Inverclyde computer factory turned up for work today to stage a "lock out" over a dispute about holiday entitlement during a company audit.

Union and non-union employees showed up for their 8am shift at Fullarton Computer Industries Ltd in Gourock but were not let in.

The protesters claim the company has unreasonably asked them to take two days of annual leave while it does a stock take as it transfers a contract from IBM to Sanmina-SCI.

They believe the concession they are being asked to make could lead to erosions of their terms and conditions.

The move came after a series of talks between managers and representatives of the ISTC union leaders broke down.

Dave Marshall, divisional organiser for the trade union ISTC, said only workers who were helping with the audit were allowed through the front door.

"We have made proposals about other work that could be done during the audit and these have not been accepted. This is a flexible workforce and has tried to accommodate the company," he said.

"The workforce is making a stand today because it is concerned this situation could be the beginning of something more."

A second protest is planned for tonight when around 150 workers on late-shift are expected to turn up and not be let in.

No one from the company was available to comment today but earlier Robert Baxter, group HR manager, said it was reasonable to ask workers to take the days as holidays.

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