Striking workers from Bakkavor plan protest march into Spalding town centre

Striking workers are set to hold a protest march as they continue their dispute with factory bosses.

Bakkavor employees in Spalding have been on strike since September 27 after rejecting a pay offer

Staff have been seen outside the West Marsh Road site on a daily basis, waving flags and sounding horns to passing drivers.

Unite union bosses say the matter has still not been resolved and are planning a big demonstration of their frustration next Tuesday (October 22).

Workers will march from the company gates at 10am into Spalding town centre — where it will be market day — before heading back to West Marsh Road.

A social media post to members said: “Let’s show our strength in numbers and make it clear that we stand together.”

Staff, who make and prepare meals, soups, dips, salads, desserts, pizzas and breads for customers including Tesco, Marks and Spencer and Waitrose have been unhappy at Bakkavor’s pay offer.

Bosses are said to have proposed an increase of 7.8% to its lowest paid colleagues and 6.4% across all other grades — a package slammed as ‘derisory’ by the union, which pointed to the company’s £55 million half-year profits as evidence that more can be afforded.

The company said it was ‘disappointed’ with the strike and felt it had put a ‘good deal’ on the table.

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