Trade union Usdaw said its members at the Ashby-de-la-Zouch site of KP Snacks have “overwhelmingly” voted to strike in a dispute over pay.
The strike action is set to commence in the week beginning on 9 December. The union said the formal strike ballot resulted in a nearly 80 per cent vote in favour after a 73.67 per cent turnout.
“This overwhelming result clearly demonstrates the strength of feeling among our members and we urge management to immediately come back to the table to negotiate a fair pay deal and avoid disruption to the business in the busy pre-Christmas period,” Ed Leach, Usdaw area organiser, said.
“The 2024/25 pay negotiations have so far failed to reach a satisfactory outcome. The company’s offer of 6.5 per cent fails to adequately address the narrowing of the gap between the value of the National Living Wage and the consolidated rates of pay at the site. We regret that the company has flatly refused to increase the offer and we urge them to change their stance.”
Responding to the announcement, KP Snacks expressed disappointment over the pay dispute, while reiterating its willingness to engage in further discussions to resolve the issue.
“We are disappointed that we find ourselves in this position and remain open to further discussions. The 6.5 per cent pay rise we are offering is very competitive and almost three times the current rate of inflation, which stands at 2.3 per cent,” a spokesperson of KP Snacks told Asian Trader.
Combined with last year's increase, the offer represents a 15 per cent rise over two years, the company said.
KP Snacks, whose brands include Hula Hoops, McCoy’s and Butterkist, assured customers of minimal impact in the event of industrial action.
“We have robust processes in place across our supply chain and should we end up in the unfortunate position of strike action taking place we are confident there will be minimal disruption to our customers,” the spokesperson said, adding: “We are focused on working closely with our colleagues as we appreciate this is a difficult time.”
