Factory workers at a Spalding-based food manufacturer will walk out in their hundreds for nine days of strike action, protesting wages they refer to as “poverty pay”.
More than 700 workers at Bakkavor’s factory in Spalding will start their strike action on November 1, running until November 9 – with severe disruption to production lines expected.
The food manufacturer makes own brand soups, sauces and deli produce for major supermarkets, but that could all grind to a halt at the start of next month as workers protest their pay terms.
Many of the workers earn just 1p over the national minimum wage, and recently rejected a 6.5% pay offer, calling for a rise that better reflects the soaring cost of living.
Unite the Union, which has organised and supported the industrial action, claims that Bakkavor’s adjusting operating profits for 2021 had increased by 22%, up to £102 million.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Bakkavor is a hugely profitable company but is happy to cut workers’ wages during one of the worst economic crises in living memory.
“Our members are rightly angry that their employer, who can pay and should pay, is refusing to give them a fair slice of the pie. We will be supporting our members 100% as they strike for a fair pay rise.”
The strikes will impact food brand products that are shipped to Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Marks and Spencer.
A spokesperson for Bakkavor: “We can confirm that Unite the Union has officially notified us that they intend to take Industrial Action at our Bakkavor site in Spalding, Lincolnshire.
“Despite extensive pay negotiations and the involvement of ACAS*, we are very disappointed that we have been unable to resolve the dispute as we believe we have proposed a pay award which is both competitive in the local market and sustainable for the Spalding business.
“We have been committed to resolving this as soon as possible so that the pay increases can be implemented, particularly given the cost-of-living pressures that our colleagues face.
“We have detailed contingency plans in place to ensure that we continue to serve our customers and that any disruption is kept to a minimum. We are fortunate to have the scale and flexibility of operations to support this.
“Our colleagues remain our priority and, against a backdrop of ongoing macro uncertainties and significant levels of inflation, we are focused on protecting jobs across our business.”
The food manufacturing industry is just the latest in a long line of work sectors to be hit with industrial action in recent weeks and months, as trade unions and everyday workers continue to fight for what they deem a fairer salary and increased job security.
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