Belfast Bombardier staff accept pay deal

Workers at Belfast aerospace company Bombardier have voted to accept a three-year pay deal to end a troubled 12 months of dispute…

Workers at Belfast aerospace company Bombardier have voted to accept a three-year pay deal to end a troubled 12 months of dispute that saw workers engage in strike action.

The deal involves the payment of a £750 sterling lump sum for this year followed by 2.5 per cent in each of the following two years.

The agreement has been inflation-proofed for the second and third year. Should the Retail Price Index exceed the settlement figure by more than 1 per cent in either year, workers will be given lump sums to account for the difference between 3.5 per cent and the actual inflation rate.

Bombardier also agreed to pay £96.5 million into the company's final salary pension scheme to make up a shortfall and to make any additional contributions necessary to maintain current benefits.

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There was a clear majority among workers who responded to a postal ballot to accept the deal, although it was still less than 50 per cent of the workforce.

Of 4,667 workers, 3,332 responded with 2,071 voting in favour of the deal and 1,260 against.

PA