Unite the Union says customers are now seeing empty shelves as a result of Spalding strike amid reports of national taramasalata shortage
Union chiefs say that empty supermarket shelves are the result of the strike action at a Spalding factory.
Members of Unite the Union have been manning a picket line outside the Bakkavor factory in West Marsh Road for more than six weeks in a dispute over pay.
Last week they took the fight to Iceland but now the union says shoppers are starting to feel the impact of the strike - with a reported national shortage of the taramasalata in supermarket shelves.
A Unite spokesman said: “"Bakkavor are running scared and fearmongering with their latest attempt to explain their untenable position.
"While their CEO makes millions, and they are part-owned by an Icelandic convicted financial criminal, their workers in Lincolnshire are having to rely on foodbanks to make ends meet.
"Strike action has crippled their production and high street customers are now seeing empty shelves. Bakkavor need to stop spreading lies and get back around the negotiating table with a meaningful offer that is acceptable to our members."
Bakkavor workers first walked out of the factory, which makes products for Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury’s and Coop, on September 27.
More than 700 workers - althought this number is disputed by the company - are currently taking part in continuous strike action at the Bakkavor production plant in Spalding after years of real terms pay cuts - and the union says it has increased it’s membership at the Spalding factory.
The union says that workers have had a 16% payrise over the last three and have disputed claims from Bakkavor.
Some Bakkavor workers now depend on food banks to feed themselves and their families, due to low pay, according to the union.
Hundreds of workers also took part in a protest march last month in a bid to raise awareness of the pay dispute.
In a statement issued to national papers earlier this week, Bakkover said: “There has been a short disruption to our supply of taramasalata, but drawing on the skills based across 21 UK sites, production steps up again next week.”
The company states that around 450 staff members at the Spalding site are not attending work and that more than 950 are not engaged with strike action.
In September Bakkavor says it put forward an improved offer of 7.8% to its lowest paid colleagues and 6.4% across all other grades along with offering staff a discretionary £350 per person bonus to try and resolve the strike.
Donna-Maria Lee, Chief People Officer at Bakkavor comments: “It is now six weeks since Unite the Union commenced strike action with a minority of our Spalding colleagues.
“It is now clear to us that it is becoming increasingly difficult to resolve this dispute with Unite and get people back to work anytime soon.
“We have engaged the Union in discussions since the start, and our CEO met with them recently out of a genuine desire to resolve the issue. Whilst a material discretionary bonus (of £350 per person) and an above inflation pay rise have been tabled for Spalding colleagues, the Union has now advised us that they have put it to ballot, with a recommendation to reject our offer.”
