Unite has condemned the union-busting approach of Princes Foods
after its chairman threatened to withdraw all pay offers and to
move production overseas with the risk of hundreds of job
losses.
Workers at Princes Food sites across the UK have been taking
industrial action after the new owners, Italian conglomerate
Newlat, refused to honour a pay rise that had been negotiated
with previous owners, Mitsubushi.
Today (23 Jan), the chairman, Angelo Mastrolia, announced that in
response to the prospect of further industrial action in
February, his company will transfer the production of much-loved
British foods like Branston beans and Crosse & Blackwell to
overseas facilities in retribution. This would also come with the
threat of hundreds of job losses for those workers at sites in
Cardiff, Lincolnshire, Glasgow, Bradford and Wisbech.
Unite general secretary Sharon
Graham said: "If Princes thinks its threats
will weaken workers' resolve it has another thing coming. This is
appalling behaviour from a shameful company. First it pulled the
rug from under our members by reneging on a pay deal and now it
is threatening their jobs with these union-busting
tactics.
“Unite won't stand for such tactics and will be
backing our members every step of the way in their
dispute."
This latest development follows repeated lies spread by Princes
during the dispute.
-
LIE Princes has claimed they have been
negotiating with Unite for months over the pay claim
-
TRUTH Unite has not had a single
face-to-face meeting with Princes since the new owners came
in
-
LIE The new offer of three per cent is
above inflation
-
TRUTH Three per cent was not above
inflation at the time the offer was given nor across the year
as whole
-
LIE Princes claims to be "an employer of
choice" in its mission statement
-
TRUTH Every year increasing numbers of
staff drop below the national living wage and the new owner has
not offered a way to end that pattern
Unite national food officer Paul Travers
added: "The bullying tactics of Princes and its
Chairman are disgusting. The communities in which it operates and
the customers who buy their products should know what sort of
company they are - one who goes back on promised pay, spreads
lies about their actions and now threatens their jobs by moving
overseas.
"Unite and our members won't tolerate such bullying
behaviour and will instead be upping our campaign for a fair
day's pay."
