HUNDREDS of workers at Leonardo in Yeovil have ceased industrial action after agreeing a pay deal.

Staff at five UK Leonardo sites, including the Somerset plant, have ended industrial action – which saw Yeovil workers walk out earlier this month – as a result, the Unite union said.

Sites in Yeovil, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Basildon and Luton, produce defence equipment for the UK armed forces, including helicopters and radar.

Now, workers have accepted a new offer from the company, worth eight per cent over two years.

Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “There is power in a union and workers at Leonardo should be proud of the increased pay award they have secured.

“Workers stood firm against a company making billions in profits. Our members do vital work in helping keep the UK safe and thoroughly deserve their win.”

READ MORE: Leonardo workers in Yeovil walk out over pay
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Unite members had already taken strike action and had more dates planned across the autumn and winter.

But, having forced the company to improve its offer and accepted this pay increase, all further planned industrial action is now cancelled.

Unite national aerospace officer, Rhys McCarthy, added: “This is a positive result for workers in aerospace and should be a warning to other employers in the sector – Unite members know their worth and are willing to take industrial action to achieve their aims. Unite is the winning union for aerospace workers.”

A Leonardo spokesperson said: “Leonardo confirms the positive results of the ballot and acceptance of our revised pay and reward package by Unite members. This reflects our continued commitment to offering fair and sustainable pay and benefits, while remaining competitive in the global market.

“With this matter resolved, we are now focused on leveraging the skill and dedication of our workforce to deliver our key commitments.”