Agreement ends strike action at food factory

Oscar Mayer supplies products to Tesco, Asda, Greggs, Aldi, Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Co-op

A long-running dispute over pay and conditions at a food manufacturer has been resolved following the signing of an agreement between the company and a union.

About 550 workers at Oscar Mayer in Wrexham have been involved in 200 strike days between September 2024 and April 2025.

The Unite union has described the agreement as a "tremendous victory", while Oscar Mayer said it was "pleased" that an agreement had been reached.

Unite said staff had been fighting for their colleagues' jobs and over terms and conditions of employment and said the company had attempted to slash pay by up to £3,000 a year, by firing and rehiring them on inferior contracts.

The union added 26 dismissed workers had been reinstated and improvements had been made to holiday compensation, as part of the resolution.

It said it was the first time a formal recognition agreement had been made between Oscar Mayer and Unite.

The company - which supplies products to Tesco, Asda, Greggs, Aldi, Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Co-op - said it was "pleased that an agreement with Unite was reached" and said it would continue to "focus on a long-term sustainable business".

Unite says 26 dismissed workers had been reinstated as part of the resolution

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "This is a tremendous victory by low paid workers who were prepared to stand up to their employer and fight back against pay cuts while defending fellow workers."

She added that it showed there was "power in a union".

Labour MP Steve Witherden, who helped the workers in their campaign, described it as one of the longest running and largest casework matters he had worked on, and he was "personally relieved" at the outcome.