Strike action threatened at Coca-Cola Wakefield plant

Trade union Unite has threatened strike action at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners' factory in Wakefield, saying UK could see shortage of Coca Cola, Sprite and Fanta this summer owing to "corporate greed".

industrial action is being considered after the union refused a pay offer from the drink maker saying it doesn't match inflation.

Supplies of Britain’s favourite soft drinks could run dry this summer because the hugely profitable Coca Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) won’t pay workers a fair wage which matches inflation, Unite said today (3).

Hundreds of workers at the largest soft drinks plant in Europe, in Wakefield, are voting on industrial action after a pay offer which does nothing to address the cost of living crisis. This is after CCEP generated revenues over £15 billion combined with an operating profit of £1.85 billion.

The CCEP wage deal across different grades amounts to an average 6 per cent increase. That’s gone ‘flat’ with the workers when inflation (RPI) is still booming at 13.5 per cent.

Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “Coca Cola Europacific Partners is making profits in the billions so it can easily afford to give its workers a proper pay rise.

“It’s profits are up 37 per cent to an eye watering £1.85 billion but bosses refuse to pay workers a decent wage increase which keeps up with rising prices. This is nothing short of corporate greed. The workforce are fizzing at the company’s profiteering.”

CCEP Wakefield can produce 360,000 cans per hour, and 132,000 bottles per hour.

CCEP’s products include Coca Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Dr Pepper, Fanta, Fanta Lemon, Fanta Fruit Twist, Sprite, Monster and Relentless. The plant also produces Schweppes' Tonic, Diet Tonic, Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale and Lemonade.

Unite regional officer Chris Rawlinson said: “A strike will inevitably put supplies of Britain’s favourite soft drinks, including Coca-Cola, at risk this summer. But Industrial action can be avoided at Europe’s biggest soft drinks plant if bosses agree to pay workers a fair wage from the company’s mammoth profits. They ought to do that now.”