Burton Latimer: Weetabix workers vote for strike over pay

Workers have voted to walk out over pay and conditions

Weetabix workers are to stage a 24-hour strike in a dispute over pay for unsocial hours.

Members of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) at the Burton Latimer plant will walk out from 19:00 BST on 2 August.

The workers at the cereal bar factory previously voted unanimously for industrial action.

The company said it was "disappointed" while a union spokesman said the action was "very much a last resort".

Weetabix has been made in Burton Latimer near Kettering since 1932

A spokesman for the Weetabix Food Company said: "We are naturally disappointed by the decision to strike, but respect the voice of our workforce and their representatives.

"Our success over nearly 90 years is built on a strong relationship with our workforce.

"We will remain in close consultation with them and are confident that together we can avoid any product shortages while we implement necessary new ways of working to keep our cereal bars line competitive for the next 90 years and beyond."

'Unanimous vote'

Usdaw area organiser, Ed Leach, said: "Industrial action is very much a last resort, but the unanimous vote to strike shows the strength of feeling among our members on this issue.

"It is disappointing that the company has pushed this dispute to the point of industrial action, which will not be resolved until an agreement is reached on the value of the shift premium pay for unsocial hours.

"We urge the company to move their position to avoid this industrial action and disruption to the business."

In a separate dispute involving engineers, planned strike action by members of the Unite union was suspended last month as talks with management continued.