Allied Bakeries win

Allied Bakeries workers have voted to accept an improved pay offer and so called off planned industrial action, ending the threat of disruption to pancake supply ahead of Pancake Day. The result, Unite has said, confirms that union-organised workforces can win.

 

Unite regional coordinating officer Susan Fitzgerald commended the workforce at Allied Bakeries in Northern Ireland whose decisive and powerful strike action on Sunday (February 16) won a significantly improved pay offer which was subsequently accepted by the workforce, ending the industrial dispute.

 

“The workers at Allied Bakeries have voted overwhelmingly with a ninety percent majority to accept the significantly improved pay offer made by the company,” she said. “This provides an above-inflation pay increase and will mean that instead of real terms incomes falling as would have been the case with offers only days ago, these workers will now enjoy a real-terms pay increase.

 

“This outcome was hard won and was only achieved through the strength and militancy of the workers themselves,” she added. “Indeed the failure by management stooges to breach the workers’ picket line was the decisive factor in winning this uplift and forced bosses to the negotiating table.

 

“This is the second recent win for our members in Northern Ireland bakeries – both of which came on the back of strong votes for industrial action after below-inflation pay increases were rejected by workers. In the case of Hovis, managers averted a strike by moving quickly to show some respect and increase their offer – in the case of Allied Bakeries it took workers taking to picket lines in freezing conditions for them to see sense.

 

“Strike action is always a last resort for workers and no union enters into an industrial dispute lightly – but it should be clear to bosses that when Unite enters an industrial dispute it does so fully committed to securing a win for our members. Let’s hope bosses take notice of this result and resolve to meet workers’ pay expectations so as to avoid further unnecessary strikes.”