HGV drivers working out of Allied Bakeries’ Sighthill depot in Glasgow have received an inflation-beating pay rise worth up to 8.5%.
“We are pleased to confirm that following a brief period of negotiation, we have agreed a two-year pay deal with our Glasgow-based drivers,” commented a spokesperson for Allied Bakeries, which is owned by ABF and manufactures products under the brands Kingsmill, Allinson’s, and Sunblest.
A press release from Unite, one of the biggest trade unions for the transport and logistics sector in Scotland, reported that the bakery supplier had agreed to increase driver wages by 5% for the first year (effective from 1 August 2024) and then an additional 3.5% for the second year (August 2025 to August 2026)
Unite revealed 92% of its members participating in a consultative pay ballot had supported deal, which will also see Sighthill drivers getting an extra day’s holiday on 2 January in alternate years due to a rota change.
“The Allied Bakeries deal will provide a timely pay increase and extra security for HGV drivers,” expressed Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, adding that the trade union was continuing to deliver better jobs, pay and conditions for its driver membership.
A pay dispute last year at Allied Bakeries’ site in Bootle, Liverpool, escalated to the point where production staff staged a strike outside the factory. At the time, the company said it believed an offer amounting to a 10% salary increase over two years was ‘fair and responsible’.
In its full-year accounts for the 52 weeks to 16 September 2023, ABF’s grocery segment – including sales of Kingsmill, Allinson’s, and Sunblest products – recorded revenues totalling £4.2bn, an 12% increase on FY22 results. It noted the improved performance of Allied Bakeries was due to higher volumes, stronger pricing, and operational enhancements.
Trade union Unite was also involved in plans for industrial action at food-to-go manufacturer Greencore’s Manton Wood site in Nottinghamshire last September and at the Hovis bakery plant in Belfast in March 2023. Both strikes were avoided, with Greencore workers accepting an “above-inflation award” and Hovis employees given an improved pay offer.
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