Around 180 members of trade union Unite have commenced industrial action at Brown Brothers, a food manufacturing company that specializes in cooked and sliced meats and is part of the Browns Food Group. The strike, which began on 28 August 2023, is scheduled to conclude on 31 August. In response to a pay offer of £10.90 per hour, which was rejected by the union members, the workers decided to go on strike. The strike will be carried out in three separate rounds of three-day strikes over the course of the next three weeks.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, expressed her stance on the matter, stating, “Unite’s members at Browns have emphatically rejected a poverty pay offer.” She further emphasized that Browns Food Group, the owner of the Kelloholm factory, possesses substantial financial resources and should therefore be able to offer its workers a more sizable portion of its substantial bank balance. Graham reiterated Unite’s unwavering support for its members in their ongoing struggle for fair employment opportunities, wages, and working conditions. Echoing this sentiment, Unite industrial officer Paul Bennett explained that the pay offer from Brown Brothers failed to provide its members with sufficient income to sustain themselves. Bennett highlighted the company’s financial stability as evidence that they could afford to treat their workforce with greater respect and consideration. He firmly assured that the strike action would persist over the coming weeks, underscoring the determination of Unite members to secure a fair pay deal.
Brown Brothers, in response to the initiation of the strike on 28 August, released a statement outlining their position on the matter. The manufacturer disclosed that initially, Unite had requested a substantial 33% pay increase, from £9.75 per hour to £13 per hour. Brown Brothers’ final offer raised the hourly rate for all employees aged 18 and above to £10.90, aligning with the real living wage, thereby representing an 11.8% increase in pay. They further specified that this offer would be retroactively applied from 1 April 2023, and from April of the following year, they would pay the 2024/25 real living wage. The spokesperson also detailed overtime rates, stipulating that for 35 hours worked from Monday to Saturday, the rate would be £16.35, while for Sunday shifts, the overtime pay would amount to £21.80.
The commencement of the three-week strike will inevitably have consequences for Brown Brothers, its employees, and its customer base. The company recognizes the implications that this industrial action may bring forth for its operations and the relationships it maintains with its workers and customers.
