Draken Staff Endorse Strike Action Over Pay Dispute

Employees at a company providing training services to the armed forces have voted in favour of strike action as part of a dispute concerning pay. Approximately 100 staff members at the aerospace firm Draken have supported industrial action at its sites in Darlington and Christchurch, Dorset. The Prospect union stated its belief that the company’s workers are “about 8% behind the industry” in terms of pay, but indicated that a strike could still be avoided if an agreement is reached. Draken, for its part, affirmed its commitment to the wellbeing of its staff and expressed its anticipation of “reaching a resolution” with the union. Union members, who include aircraft technicians and engineers, cast votes supporting a mandate for strike action should a deal not be achieved, with 87.5% voting in favour. Additionally, 89.5% of members endorsed actions short of a full strike. Draken reported that engineers who are members of Prospect have chosen to back a work-to-rule action, which has not yet commenced. However, the company stated it had not received confirmation of the strike ballot results. The company has previously delivered advanced training to the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, and has provided threat simulation training for pilots of Typhoon and F-35 Lightning aircraft. It also maintains a fleet of Falcon 20 electronic warfare aircraft to ensure the Norwegian Air Force is combat ready. The union reiterated that a strike could be prevented if a pay agreement is finalized and confirmed it is seeking an “urgent meeting” with Draken. Ian Kelly of Prospect stated that members voted to take action because “in recent years pay has failed to keep up with industrial competitors”. He added, “People are already voting with their feet and successfully seeking employment elsewhere, so Draken really need to consider the impact this could have on the ongoing viability of the business.” Kelly warned, “If this continues then their ability to provide vital training to UK forces will be impacted.” Alastair Balmain, Draken’s head of communications, commented, “We pride ourselves on being a supportive employer committed to the wellbeing of all our staff.” He further stated, “We look forward to reaching a resolution that respects the requests of Prospect and their representatives, while continuing our business operations and ensuring job security for all our employees.”