Severfield, the UK’s largest structural steel contractor, is set to experience strike action at its Lostock, Bolton site, with more than 100 workers planning walkouts after being denied a pay rise this year.
More than 90% of GMB members at the site — including welders, platers and machine operators — voted in favour of strike action following the company’s decision to offer no increase.
The industrial action comes under the leadership of Paul McNerney, who joined Severfield from Laing O’Rourke in the autumn. McNerney has cited the company’s ongoing financial challenges as a reason for withholding pay rises while focusing on returning Severfield to profitability.
In the year to 29 March 2025, Severfield posted a pre-tax loss of £17.5 million on revenue of £450.9 million, affected by widely reported issues with welds on HS2 and National Highways bridges. Losses have continued into the current year, with a pre-tax deficit of £5.6 million recorded for the six months to 27 September 2025.
In response, GMB members at Lostock have been conducting an overtime ban this week and will begin strike action with a one-day walkout on Monday 16 February, followed by two full days of strikes on Monday 23 February and Tuesday 24 February.
GMB regional organiser John Weir commented: “No worker anywhere deserves to be offered literally nothing. GMB members at Severfield do highly skilled work, in an industry where such talent is in short supply. Severfield is a huge company, with revenues of nearly half a billion pounds.
“Regardless of losses in a single year, that workers should shoulder the burden is unacceptable.
“GMB has provided a range of options to settle this dispute, but Severfield continues to say 0 per cent is their final offer, so our members are left with no choice but to strike.”
Projects already nearing completion are unlikely to be affected. For example, the Agratas battery gigafactory in Somerset, delivered by Sir Robert McAlpine, recently finished structural steelwork on Building One — comprising 23,000 tonnes for a building measuring 525 metres long, 167 metres wide, and 34 metres high at its apex.
