Strikes at Case New Holland Basildon site set to continue

Workers at Case New Holland’s factory in Basildon, Essex, will continue to strike over pay as negotiations between the Unite trade union and the employer remain unresolved.

More than 500 workers took part in 10 days of strike action at the factory during May, with a further 12 days of strikes now planned in June.

Case New Holland (CNH), which considers itself the only volume tractor producer in the UK, has been accused by Unite of “time wasting” and “union busting”.

See also: Tractor factory workers to strike over ‘pay betrayal’

The union says the pay dispute relates to an agreement from 2022, which stated that pay increases would be linked to the rate of inflation.

Workers at the firm were offered a 4% increase in 2024, but Unite says this should be 7.4% under the original agreement.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “CNH will not get away with its broken pay promises.

“It is making massive profits and the only reason the company is reneging on the deal is out and out corporate greed.”

Strike action will take place on 4-6 June, 11-13 June, 18-20 June and 25-27 June.

Unite says the company has a revised offer, but is refusing to table it unless Unite agrees to recommend the unseen deal to its members.

A CNH spokesperson told Farmers Weekly: “CNH is in negotiations with the Unite trade union representing employees based at the company’s manufacturing site in Basildon, Essex.

“The company is disappointed that the parties were unable to reach an agreement and that the Unite union has decided on this course of action.

“We recognise the union’s decision creates high anxiety among our represented employees in Basildon, as well as our other employees, our customers, and our community.

“During this period, we foresee no disruption to tractor supply. 

“The company remains committed to reaching an agreement, and we are keen to work with the union to resolve this situation in a timely manner.

“We will continue to negotiate in good faith and trust that the union will do the same.”

In April this year, New Holland celebrated 60 years of production at its Basildon site and produced a special edition T7.300 tractor to commemorate the occasion.

The company has also been investing in its Alternative Fuels Centre of Excellence, which focuses on tractors powered by methane, with the T7.270 Methane Power CNG due to go into production later this year.