Warburtons staff set to strike02 July 2012Staff at UK bakery Warburtons will reportedly vote in a consultative ballot over pay related strike action later this month. According to The Bolton News, 300 employees from two production facilities in Bolton Lancashire will participate in the ballot between 23 July and 3 August. Strike action looks inevitable after 95% of Warburtons staff rejected a 2% pay offer.
“We have met the company today, and they have said the offer can only be improved if we accept changes to terms and conditions, which we feel is unfair,” said Ian Hodson, the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union’s national president. “Our members feel they have already paid a high price through plant closures and redundancies and after the closure of the final salary (pension) scheme.” “As a major business in the region and with a proud track record as a good employer, we are always willing to have an open dialogue with our employees and their representatives,” said a Warburtons spokesperson. “We believe that after four months of negotiations and in the context of a highly competitive market, our proposal to offer a basic pay rise, along with modest improvements in other areas to fund a further increase, is both fair and reasonable. “Warburtons is committed to continued negotiation with the BFAWU to determine how the current offer can be improved.” Last week, Warburtons recorded a 38% full year dip in profit to £16.3 million in 2011 after its bottom line was hit by restructuring costs and higher raw material costs. However, the firm did increase sales by 0.6% to £495 million in the year ending 24 September 2011, up from £492 million a year earlier. | |
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