CPI William Clowes workers to strike for fourth time in pay dispute

Workers at print firm CPI William Clowes are taking strike action for the fourth time in a dispute over pay.

The Unite union has 75 members at the 110-worker site in Beccles, Suffolk, and says staff there have only received two pay rises in the last 14 years.  Its members will now stage a 24-hour walkout on 13th February after claims management did not enter into constructive talks on the issue. They previously walked out in November, December and January, with Unite warning there could be more to follow in the run-up to Easter.

Unite regional officer, Mark Walker, said: “The management at CPI William Clowes needs to recognise the continual hard work that our loyal members put in year in, year out. The management claim that they want to resolve this dispute, but have shown extreme reluctance in putting a firm pay proposal on the table.Our members are taking a fourth day of strike action on 13th February and, if there is no progress on pay, we will be staging further strikes in the run-up to Easter.

"The background to their legitimate pay grievances is that this dedicated workforce has only had two pay rises in the last 14 years. There was 1% in 2017 and the previous one was about a decade ago. It is a shameful indictment of this company which is part of the profitable CPI Group UK.”

The Bookseller has approached CPI William Clowes for a comment.