Princes Food (UNITE) Strike Calendar

Strikes are set to escalate at Princes Food after the company failed to come back to the negotiating table with an improved offer after Christmas. Industrial action has already taken place at the company's Cardiff factory but strikes at factories across the country will see hundreds of Unite members head to the picket line in January. Factories in Bradford, Wisbech, Long Sutton and Glasgow will see strikes as well as additional walkouts in Cardiff (see notes to editors for dates at each site). Princes Foods make dozens of household name products, such as Branston and Crosse & Blackwell, as well as their own brand tins and jars of meat and fish. The strikes are likely to lead to shortages in supermarkets and shops across the country.

Unite members are taking industrial action after having seen previous pay offers revoked by new owners. Unite’s members, who work as line operatives and engineers, had been offered between a four and seven per cent pay rise dependent on salary by the previous owner, Mitsubishi. The company was subsequently bought by Italian based multinational Newlat S.P.A, which withdrew that offer. Instead, it is offering just a three per cent pay rise.