Thompsons faces threat of strike action as staff reject two pay offers

Fee-earners and staff at trade union firm Thompsons are to vote on strike action after rejecting two pay offers from the firm.

Thompsons had originally offered a 4 per cent wage increase, but a first ballot of GMB members, including solicitors, legal executives and administrative managers and staff, rejected the offer.

A second ballot offering a long-service pay award on top of the increase concluded on Friday 16 December by rejecting a revised offer. GMB members will now be balloted over strike action.

Thompsons head of policy and public affairs, partner Tom Jones, said: "We've made an above-inflation rate offer to the staff. We've done that despite the situation we face as a firm with a significant drop in personal injury case intake."

Thompsons is also considering closing its Ilford office to relocate staff to a new building 30 miles away in Chelmsford. The move would affect around 40 people, including 11 solicitors.

Jones said: "This comes about because our leases are coming to an end, and there's an opportunity to review work environments and particularly our liabilities on issues such as the Disability Discrimination Act."