Workers at KP Nuts are to walkout over a dispute in pay for a week on 5 September after voting 83% in favour of industrial action.
The Unite union said their members will escalate strikes if an 8% pay offer is not improved, and the general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Unite’s message to KP Snacks is if you pay your workers peanuts, expect strike action.”
She added, “The company has increased its profits by an astonishing 275% since 2018 but the workers’ pay has fallen 14% in real terms over the same period.
“That’s why workers are refusing to accept anything less than a pay deal which keeps up with the cost of living.”
Mark Duffy, manufacturing director at KP Snacks, said, I can confirm that following further wage negotiations with colleagues and their representatives at our Hellaby site, our latest pay offer has been rejected and we have been advised by Unite that they will be taking strike action from September 5-12.
“We believe that the offer of 8% with no strings backdated to April 2023 is fair, equitable and ahead of most pay deals this year within the industry.
“We are extremely disappointed to have reached this situation, which is unprecedented for KP, and had hoped to avoid the announced strike and resultant impact on colleagues.
“In the meantime the factory team continue to develop robust contingency plans to minimise the impact on customers and consumers.”
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