UK’s major supermarkets may face shortage of own-brand products as workers of a facility producing the same for Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Marks and Spencer are set to strike from late November until the new year in a row over pay.
Workers on the production line at the factory in Spalding, Lincolnshire, have rejected a 6.5 per cent pay offer from the factory’s owner, the fresh food manufacturer Bakkavor. The factory produces make own-brand salads, dips, sauces and deli produce for the UK’s major supermarkets. The strikes will begin on 25 November and last until 2 January.
The Unite union claims many of the workers earn “just over 1p over the national minimum wage” and that some “are forced to use food banks”.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The situation these workers face is exactly what is wrong with Britain’s economy today: A company earning millions and millions in profits expecting already low paid workers to take a pay cut while prices soar. Unite will not tolerate attacks on our members’ jobs, pay or conditions and our Bakkavor members have the union’s complete backing as they strike for a better deal.”
Strikes were due to take place in early November but were postponed to allow for an amended pay offer to be voted on. The workforce overwhelmingly rejected the offer and negotiations between Unite and Bakkavor have since collapsed.
Unite regional officer Ravinder Assi said that Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and M&S all have a case to answer if they do not pressure Bakkavor to use some of its massive profits to give these workers a proper pay rise.
“Supermarket customers will be appalled to know that the own-brand goods they are buying are made by supply chain workers who are being treated so disgracefully. Bakkavor can well afford to put forward an offer our members can accept and needs to do so.”
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