Solidarity – Tolpuddle branch support Oscar Mayer strikers in Bournemouth OSCAR MAYER WORKERS WIN
Food workers at Oscar Mayer have won their campaign against fire and rehire at the Wrexham food manufacturers factory following pressure from Unite.
Union activists organised countrywide protests that targeted shareholder meetings from Newcastle to Bournemouth in pursuit of a successful outcome for members.
Many of the protests had been focused on Pemberton Asset Management over its role in firing and rehiring Oscar Mayer food workers. Pemberton owns 85 per cent of the ready meal manufacturer.
The victory for the workers showed that standing up to the bullying tactics of large companies is not only possible, but vital in ensuring food workers don’t face a race to the bottom when it comes to decent pay and terms and conditions.
Over recent months Unite had been putting increasing pressure on the company to see sense, move away from fire and rehire, and hold meaningful talks with the union.
In Newcastle Unite activists spoke tocouncillors, asking them not to invest pension funds in Pemberton and Oscar Mayer.
In London Unite campaigners made their voices heard at the Natural History Museum, who were hosting an awards ceremony for Pembertons, as well as protesting outside the UK’s largest food chain assurance scheme, Red Tractor.
And in Wales campaigners convinced Clwyd Pension Fund, which looks after retired officers and councillors from Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire, not to invest anymore in Pemberton after discovering that £5.6m of member funds were indirectly invested in the business.
One protest was held in Bournemouth outside a Local Authority Pension Fund Forum at the Hilton Hotel. Campaigners were joined by members of the Unite Tolpuddle Branch and spoke to delegates as they arrived.
Supporting the action and bringing solidarity from the food, drink and agriculture sector in Dorset was
7 uniteLANDWORKER Winter 2024
John Burbidge, chair of the Unite Tolpuddle branch.
John said, “Fire and rehire is fundamentally wrong, and the government has said it will put a stop to the practice, but it hasn’t done so yet.
“Oscar Mayer should respect the people who work for them, instead of trying to cut wages to make cheaper produce for supermarkets. The Tolpuddle Branch has been fully behind their struggle and is glad to hear that food workers in Wrexham have been successful.”
“This was a hard-fought campaign and I welcome the victory for Unite members who stood firm against the bullying ‘fire and rehire’ threats from the employer, said Unite regional officer Jono Davies.
“The campaign showed the power of solidarity, not only in the factory in Wrexham, but across the country as activists came together to support fellow workers.
“Well done to all the Unite members at Oscar Mayer, united we stood and united we won.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
