Amicus to ballot Nissan members over relocation plan

Management at the Nissan car plant at Washington in Tyneside are faced with the threat of strike action for the first time in the plants history, says the Amicus-MSF union, over the compulsory re-location of staff from its purchasing department to Cranfield in Bedfordshire.

Two months ago Nissan Management informed sixty Purchase Department workers that they intended to relocate their jobs by 1st June 2004.

Amicus claims the company made this decision without consulting the employees involved and that it has refused a request for formal talks. Nissan management have told Amicus that it will be the on-site Company Council that will discuss these issues. A postal ballot for strike action will be held from 24th November with the result expected on 8th December.

There are 4,000 workers at Nissan's Sunderland plant, where Amicus membership is over 30% and is claimed to have been steadily rising each month during this year.