Scotbeef workers vote for 24-hour strike

Usdaw’s members are to hold their first 24-hour stoppage on Tuesday December 19, after voting 80% in favour of industrial action.

Plans to strike came after workers rejected Scotbeef’s latest pay offer – a 1.7% pay-rise linked to changes in break entitlements, claimed Usdaw.

Industrial action​

The industrial action would affect Scotbeef workplaces in East Kilbride and Queenslie in Glasgow.

Stewart Forrest, Usdaw divisional officer, said: “Usdaw has engaged positively with Scotbeef during the 2017 pay review, but the company has so far failed to make an offer acceptable to our members. This breakdown in negotiations has forced Usdaw members to take industrial action.​

“It is deeply regrettable that the company has pushed our members to this point and we urge them to bring forward an offer in line with our members’ expectations.”​

‘Deeply regrettable’​

Scotbeef is one of UK's largest privately-owned fresh meat companies, producing meat products for the UK and export retail market. Its main customers are Aldi, Lidl, the Macdonald Hotel Group and Marks & Spencer.

FoodManufacture.co.uk has contacted Scotbeef for a comment.

Meanwhile, Kingsmill bakery drivers in West Bromwich have called off their threatened strike action, after overwhelmingly accepting a revised pay offer, according to Unite the union.

Unite lead officer for the food sector Joe Clarke said under the terms of the deal agreed with ABF Grain Products (Kingsmill’s parent company), the exact terms would remain confidential.