Union accepts revised pay offer from Northern Foods
BFAWU representative Ian Hodson told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “The company made an improved offer and we have accepted it. The offer was higher than the 1.5% originally on the table.”
A Northern Foods spokesman said the new deal offered a 2% increase in basic pay but did not include the option of additional bonuses if the site met or exceeded annual targets (which could potentially enable staff to earn 3-4% extra).
“We have agreed a 2% increase [in basic pay], however the BFAWU has chosen not to take up the offer of taking part in gain sharing, so nothing over and above the 2% figure relating to factory performance targets.”
He added: “This is a lower value deal than the original offer which was rejected by the BFAWU earlier this year. At [Northern Foods’ third biscuit factory in] Uttoxeter, Unite agreed the original offer as did the Batley/Kirkham engineers and drivers.”
Project Golden
As part of the £26.5m 'Project Golden', announced in November 2009 and due for completion next April, Northern Foods is increasing automation across all three biscuit sites.
However, it said in June that the 'vision' was still to "move from three sites to two in the medium to longer term".
The automation would "further improve Fox's competitiveness, enhance margins and deliver earnings growth from April 2011, once this 18-month project completes", added the spokesman.
