Meat factory strikes end as 350 workers secure pay rise

The 13.2% pay increase was approved by workers at the Kelloholm plant in Dumfriesshire after the fresh offer was secured by Unite the union.

Following the rejection of an initial £10.90 per hour pay offer in late August this year, 350 Unite members involved in production, distribution and maintenance at the factory voted in favour of strike action​​. Subsequently, several rounds of strikes took place during August and September.

The deal will see workers receive the real living wage backdated to April 2023, as well as a one-off payment worth £250. As part of a three-year deal, Unite also confirmed that a commitment to real living wage increases for 2024 and 2025 had been secured.

Brown Brothers, part of the Browns Food Group, manufactures cooked and sliced meats for a range of retail and foodservice businesses. It employs around 550 members of staff in Kelloholm.

Workers secure ‘excellent wage deal’

Reacting to the news that the members had voted in favour of accepting the pay offer, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham hailed the union for securing an “excellent wage deal”.​

“The pay increase of 13.2% this year was only achieved through the brave stance our members took in taking on their employer through strike action​,” continued Graham. “Unite will always stand up and support our members fighting back for decent jobs, pay and conditions​.”

Meanwhile, Unite industrial officer Paul Bennett confirmed that the deal had received “overwhelming​” support from Unite members working at the plant in Dumfriesshire.

He added: “Workers will now receive a significant boost to their pay packets. Our members were fully determined to get a fair slice of the profits, which Browns is making on the back of our members’ hard work​.”

In other news, PepsiCo Ireland has announced plans to invest nearly £35m in its Little Island facility in Cork​​.