Construction equipment giant JCB has reached agreement with the GMB union on a new working pattern that is designed to safeguard shop floor positions across its UK operations.
JCB says it has successfully concluded negotiations with the GMB over more flexible working arrangements for shop floor employees as the anticipated disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the coming months. The company adds that the move will protect the jobs of up to 915 shop floor employees but does not affect the planned 950 salaried staff redundancies announced earlier in May.
A ballot of GMB members will be held on the new temporary collective agreement at JCB’s factories in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Wrexham with the result expected on Friday 29 May.
The announcement comes as JCB resumes production at UK factories where more than 2,000 employees have now returned to work.
In 2020 JCB had planned to sell and produce over 100,000 machines but production is now expected to be around 50,000. The company currently employs around 6,700 people in the UK.
JCB chief operating officer Mark Turner said: “It is very pleasing that we have found a way forward on production flexibility because we expect disruption from the COVID-19 crisis to continue until at least the end of this year.”
Among the proposals, GMB members are being asked to vote on is the introduction of a system of banking hours and extending shift patterns to include earlier starts and later finish times. Employees will also be guaranteed 39 hours’ basic contractual pay in any one week.
The GMB is strongly recommending that its members vote in favour of the new arrangements. JCB and the GMB will review the agreement no later than 31 December 2020 and may extend it for a further period.
Caption for pic: JCB had planned to produce over 100,000 machines in 2020 but the figure is now expected to be around 50,000
