Workers at a factory that produces Tetley tea are set to go on strike for the first time, raising fears over a possible autumn brew shortage.
Around 150 GMB members working in production at Tata Consumer Products’ factory in Teesside have voted to walk out in a dispute over pay. Industrial action will commence on Friday (20 September) and continue on Monday (23 September).
Some 50 engineering staff who are members of Unite the union have also been balloted for – and voted in favour of – strike action, The Grocer understands.
A walkout date for these staff has not yet been announced, however.
GMB members were “being intimidated by management not to go on strike” GMB organiser Paul Clark claimed.
“This loyal, predominately female workforce has endured year after year of real terms pay cuts,” Clark said. “Now they have had enough.”
Bosses at Tata needed to “get back round the table” or risk “a shortage of the UK’s favourite cup of tea this autumn”, he added.
A spokeswoman for Tata, however, said unions had not presented its latest pay offers to its members before balloting for strike action.
“We are urging the unions to reconsider and present these offers for consideration by members so that we can reach a swift resolution in line with what’s reasonably affordable to the business, and in the best interests of the factory,” the spokeswoman said.
The Tata spokeswoman declined to provide details of the offers the company had presented to members, stating it would not be “appropriate for us to comment”.
“We are not immune to the difficult economic circumstances facing families and businesses, but we do believe the pay award offers made by us to be fair,” she said.
Contingency plans had been drawn up to “enable production to continue with minimum disruption to supply”, the spokeswoman added.
Strike action at Tata’s Teesside factory was narrowly avoided last summer, after workers agreed to a 7% pay rise.
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