Hovis Wigan bakery strike
Staff at Premier Foods’ Wigan Hovis bakery voted for strike action in protest at the use of agency workers and shift pattern changes following permanent employees’ redundancies and pay cuts in August.
These changes followed the announcement to close bakeries in Greenford and Birmingham, with a potential 900 job loses.
The Bakers Food & Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) launched a two-week ballot of its members at the site on August 6 after management refused to address complaints.
Of the 230 ballot forms sent out, 120 votes were returned in favour of strike action, 39 votes rejecting strikes and the rest were not returned – apart from one soiled paper.
The strike finally ended on September 30, which although coming as a relief for Premier Foods that normal service would now resume, the damage in the firm’s image was said to have already been done.