Ready meal workers strike over 'despicable' pay

The strike could last until 10 October

More than 550 workers at a ready meals factory in Wrexham have begun a month-long strike over what a union described as a "despicable" attack on pay and conditions.

The Unite union said staff at the Oscar Mayer food factory will be £2,000-a-year worse off if management presses ahead with proposals to remove some paid breaks, reduce other breaks and stop enhanced payments and days off for working bank holidays.

The strike is expected to last until 10 October unless an agreement is reached.

The company, which supplies products to Tesco, ASDA, Greggs, Aldi, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Co-op, said it was disappointed at the decision to strike and disputed comments made by the union.

The company said it was disappointed at the decision to strike

The union claimed the company was threatening to "fire and rehire" the workers on new contracts if they did not voluntarily accept the changes.

It said 76% of its members had voted in a ballot on strike action, with 98% backing strike action.

"Oscar Mayer's behaviour towards these already low paid workers is despicable," said Sharon Graham, secretary general of Unite.

The plan would result in workers being dismissed without redundancy pay or compensation if they refuse to sign the new contracts, added the union.

It said action could “escalate” if an agreement is not reached.

Unite said strike action was a "last resort" after attempts to reach an agreement

Unite said it had repeatedly tried to reach an agreement with the company in order to avoid industrial action, but that the company was refusing to communicate.

"Strike action is the last resort and Unite’s door continues to remain open for talks with Oscar Mayer," said Jono Davies, Unite's regional officer.

But a spokesperson for Oscar Mayer said Unite's comments were "factually inaccurate".

The company said it would continue to engage with colleagues to seek agreement on proposals. It added it did not envisage any impact on customers, as it had robust contingency plans in place.

"We have engaged fully and constructively with our colleagues and their representatives throughout and have reached agreement with almost half of those impacted," said the spokesperson.

“The proposals have not been made lightly but we have made clear throughout that they are absolutely necessary to ensure a long-term sustainable business and protect the jobs we provide in the local community."