All the union news that's fit to blog...
Unite has raised concerns over the merger of two of the UKs largest convenience food manufacturers, and the impact it could have on workers and consumers. The merger of Greencore and Bakkavor is being described in food sector media as a “convenience food behemoth” with a joint turnover of around £4 billion that would employ […]
The post “Serious concerns” over merger appeared first on Unite Live.
Workers at Princes Food have escalated strike action at the food production company following the withdrawal of an agreed pay offer, and a lack of movement from the employer. Princes produce tinned goods for the nation’s supermarkets and shops, who could be hit with shortages during the strikes in Bradford, Cardiff, Glasgow, Long Sutton and […]
The post Strikes escalate as Princes offers paupers pay appeared first on Unite Live.
The following article is a follow-up story to a Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) feature we re-published yesterday, which you can view here. The head of the independent watchdog for immigration has criticised the Home Office for failing to publish a promised review of the UK’s seasonal worker scheme. David Neal, the government-appointed independent chief […]
The post ‘Bizarre and deeply disappointing’ appeared first on Unite Live.
On a farm in Herefordshire, thousands of miles from her home in Bolivia, Julia Quecaño Casimiro went on strike for the first time in her life. Julia had worked on farms in Chile for several years but said she had never experienced bullying, discrimination or wage deductions until working in the UK. “As soon as […]
The post ‘All that’s missing is a whip’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Every day over the Christmas period, UniteLive is running a different story from our top stories of 2023. Today, we look back at how Unite reps Dave and Istvan are shaking things using TikTok to recruit migrant workers to Unite. — Unite reps and cousins Dave and Istvan Imre are giving the union a much-needed […]
The post UniteLive stories of the year – The ‘TikTok recruiters’ appeared first on Unite Live.
In his office, ‘man make-up’ immaculate as ever Romanian-born Unite rep Dave Imre lays out scores of filled out membership forms, casually cooling himself with a flamenco fan.
The post ‘You can change everything in this factory…’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite today (26 July) announced strike dates set to hit the world-renowned A.G. Barr’s production and distribution centre in Cumbernauld. Unite confirmed that its trucker and shunter drivers who are essential to the supply of the company’s products including Irn-Bru, one of the nation’s most popular soft drinks, will now strike in a series of […]
The post Irn-Bru supplies to ‘dry up’ as strike dates confirmed appeared first on Unite Live.
Food and drink producers across the UK face running out of packaging as workers at Cepac strike in a dispute over pay, Unite said on Wednesday (July 5). The 90 plus workers, who includes printers, engineers and conversion operatives, have overwhelmingly voted to take industrial action. The first strike will begin on Tuesday, July 18, […]
The post Cepac print workers to strike appeared first on Unite Live.
London and the South East England are facing a beer drought this summer as delivery drivers, draymen and warehouse operatives employed by GXO ballot for strike action over draconian disciplinary matters. Unite is balloting 120 members at GXO’s Croydon depot over the excessive disciplinary issues and the company’s failure to follow the existing agreement on […]
The post London and South East in beer drought threat appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite, together with trade unions across the world, achieved unprecedented new policy guidelines for promoting the UN’s Decent Work Agenda for the agri-food sector, after intense negotiations in May. The International Labour Organization (ILO) convened the meeting in early May, which brought together representatives from unions under the International Union of Food Workers (IUF) umbrella, […]
The post ‘Historical achievement’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Inflation continues to stay at record highs, according to the latest figures, driven mainly by ongoing hikes in the price of food. The consumer prices index (CPI) measure of inflation fell marginally from 10.4 per cent in February to 10.1 per cent in March – a smaller drop than analysts expected, with some having predicted […]
The post ‘No end in sight’ to cost of living crisis appeared first on Unite Live.
“I could open a farm there,” Vadim Sardov, 24, joked about the inside of his caravan window, where it was so mouldy that plants started to sprout. Sardov came to the UK from Kazakhstan last September on a British government visa scheme for farm workers. He worked at a packhouse in Essex for UK Salads, […]
The post ‘It’s almost the same as living on the street’ appeared first on Unite Live.
Lovers of some of UK’s most popular pickles face being denied their favourite condiments this Christmas as strike action at the Mizkan Euro factory in Rochdale intensifies in a dispute over pay. The factory produces Haywards Pickled Onions, Sarsons Vinegar and Haywards Pickled Vegetables. The 50 plus workers, who are members of Unite, the UK […]
The post UK facing Christmas pickle crisis appeared first on Unite Live.
London’s Plant Based World Expo were warned that Quorn is not the ethical business it claims to be by protestors today (November 30). The protest was in support of Quorn’s Billingham factory workers who have been on strike over pay since September. The expo is being sponsored by Quorn and a representative from the company […]
The post Workers expose Quorn’s tattered ethical credentials appeared first on Unite Live.
More than 700 workers at Bakkavor’s food manufacturing factory in Spalding, Lincolnshire, will strike from late November until the New Year over poverty pay, Unite said this week. Many of the workers earn just 1p over the national minimum wage with some being forced to use food banks. In March, Bakkavor announced that its adjusted […]
The post Bakkavor food manufacturing workers to strike appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham will be joining striking Muller workers at the firm’s Stonehouse site from 10.30 am this Saturday, November 12. Nearly 70 HGV drivers and shunters employed by the German dairy giant and who are responsible for delivering milk products to supermarkets nationwide have been on strike since August. The dispute is over imposed […]
The post <strong>Unite leader to join Muller Stonehouse picket</strong> appeared first on Unite Live.
It looks like shoppers in the north of England face empty Morrisons supermarket shelves over the holiday season – as the offer of a real terms pay cut has prompted hundreds of drivers employed by Wincanton PLC on the Morrisons contract, to begin voting on strike action. The supermarket chain across the north now faces […]
The post <strong>Profiteering risks empty Morrisons supermarket shelves</strong> appeared first on Unite Live.
Unite has secured a pay rise worth 11.5 per cent for around 700 Princes Group food workers. The workers at four sites, located in Glasgow, Bradford, Cardiff and Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, will receive a 7 per cent pay rise backdated to April 2022 plus a £750 one off payment. The deal was negotiated without the […]
The post Princes food workers’ 11.5 per cent pay win appeared first on Unite Live.
Shortages of the UK’s most popular pickles and vinegars, including Branston Pickle, Sarsons Vinegar and Haywards Pickled Vegetables, will increase as Unite has announced further strike action as a result of the employer’s (Mizkan Euro) derisory pay offer. The 50-plus workers, who are based at Mizkan Euro’s factory in Rochdale, will take fresh strike action […]
The post Pickle and vinegar shortages growing appeared first on UNITElive.org.
At TUC Congress in Brighton on Wednesday (October 19), Unite called for a just transition for UK food industry workers impacted by efforts in the sector to reduce carbon emissions. Supporting composite three in favour of declaring a food emergency, Unite noted that last year Congress welcomed the government’s National Food Strategy. However Unite said […]
The post Just transition for food workers call appeared first on UNITElive.org.