ETI, an alliance of trade unions, NGOs, and businesses—including all leading UK supermarkets—works to “promote practical solutions to end the abuse of human rights at work.”
In Spalding, Lincolnshire, over 700 Unite members employed at the Bakkavor facility have engaged in industrial action since September 27 last year, as part of an ongoing dispute over pay.
Unite has lodged a complaint, citing Bakkavor’s refusal to enter meaningful negotiations and the decision to employ strike-breakers from other locations.
Bakkavor CEO Mike Edwards has responded, labeling the accusations of violating ethical trading regulations as “untrue” and describing the union’s complaint as a “tactic.”
Currently, Bakkavor has proposed a 7.8% raise for its lowest-paid workers and a 6.4% increase across all other tiers, in addition to a £350 bonus per employee.
However, Unite argues that its members experienced a real-term pay decrease of 10.6% over the last three years. They are demanding an average raise of 81p per hour, particularly as most workers at the Spalding site earn only 10p above the minimum wage.
Interestingly, Bakkavor has indicated that some striking workers have privately accepted the latest pay offer.
Unite Targeting Retailers
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham has emphasized that Bakkavor’s behavior left the union with no alternative but to file a complaint. “Not only are we informing their customers about their unethical actions, but we will also target any company that continues to engage with them,” she stated.
The union plans to escalate its campaign against retailers like Marks & Spencer, urging their customers to reach out to the board and demand that Bakkavor return to negotiations.
Additionally, Unite will broaden its outreach to consumers of Waitrose and Pizza Express with similar messages as part of the escalating campaign.
Graham further asserted, “Major UK supermarkets, like M&S, claim to care about their workforce and that of their suppliers. It is now evident that they cannot continue to operate as usual with a company like Bakkavor that mistreats its workers.”
Pay is ‘Above Inflation’
Bakkavor’s Spalding facility produces ready meals, soups, dips, salads, desserts, pizzas, and breads for various retailers. Nevertheless, CEO Edwards insists that the strike action has not disrupted Bakkavor’s business operations.
“Over the past three years, CPI in the UK has grown by 21%,” he noted. “At our Spalding site, during the same timeframe, pay rates have increased between 21.2% and 22.8%—well above inflation for that period. Moreover, it’s worth mentioning that the cost of labor at Spalding is the highest among all our UK sites, which directly relates to the core issue with Unite’s stance.”
“Given our significant efforts to engage in meaningful negotiations and the robust offer made, Unite’s persistent calls for rejection indicated that the 2024 collective bargaining process was exhausted. Accordingly, we lawfully proceeded to provide the proposed pay offer on an individual basis.”