Employees at the meat manufacturing specialist’s Enniskillen site in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, have opted to strike for a further two weeks.
The dispute involves around 130 workers at the facility who are seeking a cost-of-living pay increase and an end to the current “unequal payment of breaks”.
As a result, Unite the Union has now served notice to Pilgrim’s Europe of a further two-week strike commencing at 6.30am on 17 August after a vote by workers on the picket line last Friday (7 August).
The aggrieved staff believe that the meat producer has failed to offer an inflation-proof pay increase that also addresses unequal pay for breaks.
According to Unite the Union, morning shift workers are paid for 15-minute breaks while evening and night shift workers are paid for 30-minute breaks.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Pilgrim’s is a very successful company making huge after-tax profits.
“It can well afford to pay its workers properly but our members in Enniskillen are paid less than colleagues on sites elsewhere in the UK and little above the bare legal minimum. The workers will have the full and continuing support of Unite for as long as it takes to win pay justice and respect.”
Pilgrim’s Europe declared after-tax profits of £128.4 million for the 2024 financial year, a 21.1% increase on the previous year.
Owned by US-based parent company Pilgrim’s Pride, Pilgrim’s Europe operates more than 40 sites across the UK, Ireland, France and the Netherlands and owns brands including Richmond, Fridge Raiders, Denny and Galtee.
Greg O’Kane, Unite regional officer, added: “Our members are determined to secure an improved pay deal offering real protection from the cost-of-living crisis and ending the current inequality around paid breaks.
“They are set to escalate their strike to two weeks. Management needs to return to the table with an offer meeting our members’ pay expectations to resolve this dispute.”
