Workers at Ford Dagenham Engine Plant Preparing To Strike

April 12, 2023 10:03 am

Just a few years ago, it seemed as if the Ford Dagenham Engine plant in the UK was on borrowed time and facing possible closure, but production at the plant did, in fact, restart following a prolonged shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Ford was still planning on closing the plant for good and even warned that it could cease manufacturing in the U.K. completely if the government didn’t step in with some sort of stimulus. That ultimately didn’t happen, and in spite of the automaker’s EV push in Europe, the Ford Dagenham Engine plant was touted as the location where diesel engines would continue to be produced for years to come. Now, however, the automaker is facing a possible strike by a key contractor at the UK facility, according to AM Online.

This possible action pertains to workers employed by Lineside Logistics that are based at the Dagenham plant, who are currently being balloted for a possible industrial action over a pay dispute. The ballot is set to close on May 2^th, and if the 120 workers – who are members of the UK union Unite – vote to take action, a strike could take place shortly thereafter.

Those workers have been offered a pay increase of 7.5 percent, which the union argues is insufficient when inflation currently stands at more than 13 percent. If those employees do wind up voting to strike, it could have a major impact on production at the Ford Dagenham Engine plant, where Lineside Logistics plays a key role not only there, but also in the automaker’s worldwide engine and parts distribution network, including Turkey and South Africa. If parts deliveries were to slow to a halt, it could result in severe distribution and production delays at the plant.

“Industrial action would cause huge disruption to the just in time delivery model at Ford’s Dagenham plant and across its worldwide operations, however, this dispute is entirely of Lineside Logistics’ own making” said Unite regional officer Joe Welch. “Unite has given the company ample opportunities to make a fair pay offer and it has refused to do so.”

We’ll have more on this potential strike soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for non-stop Ford news coverage.

By Brett Foote

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.