UK trade union Unite has filed a formal complaint to the Ethical Trading Initiative on behalf of striking workers at Bakkavor. The staff at the ready-meals maker have been on strike since September last year due to a dispute over pay. The strike continues at the UK-listed manufacturer’s site in Spalding, with hundreds of workers remaining on strike. Some staff have accepted a pay offer from Bakkavor and returned to work, as reported in December.
Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, expressed disappointment with Bakkavor’s lack of willingness to negotiate and attempt to break a lawful strike. Unite plans to inform Bakkavor’s customers about their unethical behavior and target any company that continues to do business with them. Just Food reached out to both Bakkavor and the Ethical Trading Initiative for comments.
In response, Bakkavor’s CEO, Mike Edwards, stated that despite the strike action, Unite has failed to disrupt their business operations. He highlighted an improved final offer that was put on the table but rejected by the striking workers. Edwards also addressed what he called emotive and false claims made by Unite regarding Christmas food supply disruption, pay cuts, and wages above the National Living Wage. He refuted the claim that Bakkavor is breaching ethical trading regulations.
Bakkavor, a major supplier to Tesco and Waitrose, offered a 7.8% pay increase to its lowest-paid staff in September and a 6.4% rise across all other grades. This was an improvement from a previous 6% pay offer rejected by Spalding staff. Additionally, the company offered a discretionary bonus of £350 per person as an added incentive.
Unite announced plans to engage Marks and Spencer customers to urge the retailer’s board to pressure Bakkavor to return to negotiations. Earlier in the month, Bakkavor reported a 4% rise in group revenues to £2.29bn for the 52 weeks ending on 28 December. The company’s UK-generated revenues grew by 5.2% to £1.95bn. Bakkavor is scheduled to release its full annual figures on 4 March.
In conclusion, the dispute between Bakkavor and its striking workers highlights the challenges faced by both parties in reaching a resolution. The involvement of a trade union and the Ethical Trading Initiative adds complexity to the situation. It remains to be seen how the negotiations will progress and whether a resolution can be reached to address the concerns raised by the striking workers. The impact of the strike on Bakkavor’s business operations and relationships with customers will also be closely monitored.
