Action threat dropped at Carlton TV

Pay strike plans have been shelved after a disappointing vote by Carlton members.

Only 40% of BECTU members backed full strike action over this year's 2.5% pay offer from the company in a ballot which was announced on March 28th.

However almost two-thirds of members voted in favour of "action short of strike action" - a result which union representatives believe demonstrated strong feelings among staff, despite the pressure put on them by management to vote against a strike.

During the ballot of members in the company's sites at Birmingham, Nottingham, and Abingdon, the management issued letters threatening to transfer work to other parts of the country if any disruption occurred.

Since the result was announced the union has been consulting with representatives at the three sites, and all forms of industrial action have now been ruled out.

The company's final pay offer is now being put to site meetings of members, and the 2.5% increase is likely to be accepted.

Even if members are prepared to settle this year's pay claim without disruption, the union plans to impress on management the depth of anger and resentment among staff.

The original union pay claim was for an increase substantially above inflation, with a minimum payment of £1000 per person.