Strike by Coventry taxi firm set to cause ‘serious disruption’

Around 100 workers employed at the London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) in Coventry are to strike over pay, Unite has announced. The strikes will “severely affect” vehicle production at the city’s Ansty Park manufacturing facility.

Staff rejected a 3.5 per cent pay rise plus a one-off payment of £400 for those in lower grades, Unite said. They say it is a real-terms pay cut because the real rate of inflation was 4.9% when the increase was supposed to be implemented in January.

Unite claimed that due to years of below-inflation pay rises, wages at the LEVC have fallen by 19.9% ​​since 2016. General secretary Sharon Graham said they “fully support” industrial action for what she described as an “increase fair salary”.

READ MORE: Fee paid for Coventry waste collection service ‘subject to price increase’

READ MORE: Code will save you money on ‘game-changing’ teeth whitening products that ‘reverse years of stains’

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a company that brings in billions but has attacked the wages of Coventry workers year after year. Geely can absolutely afford to offer a better payment offer to our members.”

Workers will undertake a first day of strike action on Thursday (June 13). Unite has warned that further strike dates will be announced if the dispute is not resolved.

Unite regional officer Vivienne Martin said: “Geely Auto has no one to blame but itself for disrupting its operations by refusing to submit a fair pay agreement after years of cutting wages in real terms . Industrial action may still be avoided, but this will require an offer acceptable to our members.”

Geely Auto has been approached for comment by CoventryLive.

Sign up here for our FREE daily newsletter for all the latest news on Coventry.