Meat processing workers vote to strike over pay

Steve Bagnall

Daily Post - UK

Aug 5 2008

HUNDREDS of workers at an Anglesey meat processor yesterday voted for strike action over a pay dispute.

An overwhelming majority of the 260 Unite union workers at Welsh Country Foods, Gaerwen, voted for industrial action including strikes yesterday.

They were unhappy with a 2% offer, and about to see exactly what action will now be taken and when, at the plant which employs 500 people.

But Unite workers at the Grampian poultry factory, Llangefni, have voted to accept a 3% offer and negotiations in six months with Netherlands-based Vion which is taking over Grampian.

Both sites are part of the Grampian group.

Yesterday Paddy McNaught, Unite regional organiser, said: “81.5% of our members voted for industrial action which could include strike action. Workers were unhappy with a 2% imposed pay rise.

“We will be meeting in the middle of the week to discuss what action we will be taking.

“At the Llangefni site workers voted to accept a 3% offer and to renegotiate with the new owners in six months time.”

Vion, one of Europe’s largest food companies, has signed an agreement to buy Grampian for an undisclosed sum.

Vion bosses said the move would strengthen the company’s position in the UK where it has operations in the fresh pork, bacon and sausage markets.

The deal is expected to see a wave of fresh investment in Grampian’s North Wales operations.

Grampian Country Food Group was founded in Scotland in 1980.

It has developed into one of the UK’s leading food companies, supplying the major multiples with chicken, pork, beef and lamb.

The company currently employs 17,500 staff – 4,500 of them in Thailand – and has an annual turnover of £1.7bn. It will be integrated into the new Vion UK division.

The decision to strike comes as lecturers at Coleg Menai began voting yesterday whether to take industrial action after a long-running dispute about excessive class sizes.

The ballot closes on August 22.

A spokesman for Grampian said all inquiries about the dispute were being handled by Vion. No-one was available for comment at Vion last night.

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