Unite confirms Spalding Bakkavor workers - who create products for Tesco, Waitrose and Marks and Spencer - will strike on September 27 over pay
Union leaders have confirmed that factory workers will be taking part in ‘continuous strike action’ later this month.
Unite the Union says that more than 700 people will be walking out of Spalding’s Bakkavor site from Friday, September 27.
Staff, who make and prepare meals, soups, dips, salads, desserts, pizzas and breads for customers including Tesco, Marks and Spencer and Waitrose, are said to be taking industrial action in a dispute over pay.
Unite has slammed the offer as ‘derisory’ while the company claims that it has proposed an increase of 7.8% to its lowest paid colleagues and 6.4% across all other grades.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Bakkavor has built a highly profitable business on the backs of workers and yet fails to recognise their hard work in incredibly tough working conditions.
"Our members are rightly angry after years of below-inflation pay rises, the most recent offer is an insult. Bakkavor needs to rapidly think again and come back with an improved pay deal."
The union says that staff earn just above the minimum wage and have rejected a pay offer of six per cent that was made in May. It also pointed out that the company reported half-year profits of £55 million for 2024.
Unite also states that some Spalding staff members have been forced to use food banks and spend ‘long shifts working in near-freezing temperatures, doing repetitive and demanding manual work for very low pay’.
Unite regional officer Sam Hennessy said: "Bakkavor is stalling and refusing to negotiate constructively and take an approach of 'my way or the highway.
“Strike action will inevitably cause disruption and shortages to supermarkets across the UK but this dispute is entirely of Bakkavor’s own making.
"We urge Bakkavor to listen to the concerns of its staff and provide them with an improved and fair pay offer before strike action starts this month.”
What do you think? Post a comment below…