Coca-Cola workers to strike over pay

Workers at Coca-Cola Enterprises' (CCE) bottling plant in Edmonton, North London, are to mount a series of one day strikes in protest at what Unite, the trade union, called the company's "derisory" pay offer.

The union said that CCE's proposed two per cent pay rise amounted to a wage cut, after inflation and the looming hike in VAT were taken into account.

The first strike at the plant, two six-hour stoppages, is to take place next Wednesday (September 8) and follows what Unite said was an 81 per cent 'yes' vote for strike action among the plant's 110 workers represented by the union. Around 150 staff work at the plant in total.

Wayne King, Unite's regional officer, defended the industrial action, saying Coca-Cola was behaving immorally towards its staff.

"This company is not suffering during the recession so it is immoral of them to use the climate of austerity to foist a pay cut on their workforce.

"CCE is not playing straight on pay - a derisory deal which is only there if the workers' union recommends it is not an offer, it is an attempt to get the union involved in their swindle. The size of the vote in favour of action shows that the workers are just not falling for it."

Unite said production lines at the Edmonton plant would be brought to a halt throughout the 24-hour strike periods. Stoppages would be repeated in the following weeks "unless a fairer deal is tabled", it added.

In a statement CCE said it had received formal notification earlier this week of what it called "limited strike action" to be held at its Edmonton site.

It went on: "We are extremely disappointed in Unite's actions and we believe that the pay offer made in the current climate is fair. We remain open to continuing a dialogue with all our employees and with the unions in an effort to reach a constructive outcome.

"CCE has a long standing commitment to engaging positively with our employees and employee representatives, and we are disappointed that the unions have taken this step.

"CCE has plans in place to ensure that any industrial action does not disrupt the high quality of service we always aim to deliver for our customers."