Production at the Batley Fox’s Biscuits factory in West Yorkshire is expected to be disrupted, following an engineering workers strike.
The workers union Unite announced that 42 engineers at the factory will be striking because of what they have dubbed a ‘paltry’ pay offer.
The engineers at the Wellington Street site are angry at the 1% offer for the year, starting on 1 August 2014, with a further 2% from 1 August this year. They will strike for the six hour period from 04.00-10.00 on Tuesday 21 April and Thursday 23 April.
Earlier this year the company confirmed that there could be redundancies at its Batley factory. Up to 80 of the 910 employees at the site could be at risk, as it entered a 45-day consultation period.
Unite regional officer Sarah Mitchell said: “We believe that the offer for the pay year due to have started last August is paltry and insulting and the offer for year two is not much better.
“The fact that the company did not even come to us with an offer until 17 November, despite two previous meetings makes it worse and leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
“We expect biscuit production to be disrupted and we call on the management to sit down with us to discuss a realistic pay offer from this profitable company before our members strike next week.”
The engineers voted by 65% in favour of strike action.
A spokesman from 2 Sisters Food Group, parent company of Fox’s, told British Baker: "We note the news from Unite about potential action next week by engineering colleagues at Batley. We are still in dialogue with Unite and their members and working hard to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution and avoid this.
"However, in the event of action taking place, we do not expect this to impact on our service to customers."
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