WORKERS at a North-East dust mask and respirator manufacturer have voted for strike action in a dispute over pay.

Earlier this year, Unite members employed at 3M in Newton Aycliffe rejected the company’s 1.5 per cent pay increase for 2017, an offer less than half the rate of inflation.

It is the latest in a series of below inflation pay increases and coincides with concerns about pensions and potential changes to the Christmas rota.

The ballot saw the majority of the 109 union members opt for strike action and action short of strike. However, no action will be taken immediately, with Unite expected to announce dates in the New Year. The pause is designed to give the 3M management team a chance to make another pay offer and potentially avoid industrial action.

The Northern Echo approached 3M but the company was unavailable for comment.

Unite’s regional officer Mark Sanderson said: “Workers at 3M feel undervalued and morale is extremely low. They have co-operated with management to introduce new systems of work which has increased their workload without seeing a tangible reward.

“Workers deserve a fair reward for their continued efforts, by receiving a pay increase which does not result in their standard of living falling even further.

“If workers are properly rewarded for their work, morale increases, and productivity rises which is in the interests of everyone. It is essential that our members restore some of the losses they have experienced over recent years.”

In October, 3M’s US parent company was accused of imposing a policy to deny discretionary pension increases to former employees.

Mike Smith, chairman on the 3M Pensions Action Group, said the inflation-linked increase had historically been paid but this had ceased in 2008 causing “real hardship.”

At the time, a 3M spokesperson said the company had made significant contributions over the years resulting in a fully funded UK pension scheme.

“When contemplating discretionary increases, we consider many current and future business and economic factors – and we plan to continue with that approach,” he added.

Around the same time, the Newton Aycliffe plant was labelled as a ‘Scrooge employer’ after staff were told they would have to work the three days between Christmas and New Year for the first time in living memory. Unite said the changes were in response to its members rejecting the 1.5 per cent pay increase.

Earlier this week, however, the majority of staff were given the time off. 3M denied making a climbdown, citing instead a change to the volume of work required over the festive period.