Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Supermarkets must address labour issues and not seek 'quick fixes', says workers union

Supermarkets must address labour issues and not seek 'quick fixes', says workers union
(Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
Getty Images

One of the UK’s leading workers unions on Friday (27) condemned supermarkets and supply chain employers for not taking “responsibility” over current labour shortages engulfing the country by not addressing labours' issues such as insecure work and low pay.

Unite- a union that works towards protecting workers' rights- has called on the supermarkets and the employers in their supply chains not to seek quick fixes, such as “raiding other countries of their workers”.


Instead, they must work with Unite to properly address the longstanding issues of insecure work, low pay and unpleasant working conditions that are the root causes of the labour shortages, Unite said in a statement.

Unite national officer for food, drink and agriculture, Bev Clarkson said: Many parts of the UK food manufacturing sector, particularly poultry processing, are infamous for low wages, insecure contracts and exhausting work.

“The supermarkets fostered and became ever more dependent on a supply chain based on a high turnover of cheap labour.

“But that model, which was exploitative, is broken, and the supermarkets must take responsibility for making it fit for purpose.

“Industry has to work with Unite to provide a better deal for staff. Workers are the only ones who can fix the supply chain and at the moment they are not being incentivised to do so.”

Unite national officer for road transport, Adrian Jones, said: “Like sections of the food manufacturing industry, the haulage sector has been beset for years by low wages, job insecurity and stressful working conditions.

“This race-to-the-bottom employment market, determined by the supermarkets’ supply chain demands, has put workers off. But the solution for industry is not to raid other countries of their workers, but to sit down with Unite and make HGV driving a more attractive proposition.

“Road transport is crucial to the running of the country and the only way to resolve the long-standing issues in the industry is for genuine commitments to change. Unite is ready to sit down with employers to set good standards across the sector and we call on the government to establish an industry body to do just that.”

More for you

Britvic growth in annual revenue and profits

Strong numbers for Britvic

Britvic, the soft drinks manufacturer set to be acquired by Carlsberg, has posted robust annual results after investment in marketing and product innovation helped it maintain demand for its brands.

Over the year to Sept 30, the company’s pre-tax profits climbed 10.5 per cent to £173.2 million despite a £21.3m hit related to the proposed Carlsberg deal. Britvic stated that its growth was driven by both volume and price-mix, with strong demand for brands such as Pepsi, Tango, Lipton, MiWadi and Ballygowan.

Keep ReadingShow less
Met Police identifies four suspects in Post Office Horizon scandal

Met Police identifies four suspects in Post Office Horizon scandal

The Metropolitan Police has identified two new suspects in its investigation into possible criminal offences as part of the Post Office Horizon scandal. This takes the total number of individuals to four as the force also revealed it believes more suspects will be identified as the inquiry progresses.

Scotland Yard said members of the investigation team met with Sir Alan Bates, the leading Post Office campaigner, and fellow victims to update them on the development.

Keep ReadingShow less
Discover Britain's top hotspots for independent shops

(Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

Discover Britain's top hotspots for independent shops

New research by American Express Shop Small reveals the nation’s top 10 hotspots for independent shops, showcasing the small businesses and the valuable role they plan in their local communities.

American Express partnered with retail experts GlobalData to identify the top high streets for independent shops through ranking factors such as the number of independent outlets, variety of business types, and vibrancy of the high street.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Walkable high streets boost economy'
(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Getty Images

'Walkable high streets boost economy'

Shoppers who walk and wheel spend more than those arriving by car, states a recent report, demonstrating the significant economic and social benefits of investing in walkable town centres, challenging traditional views on urban accessibility.

The findings published in third edition of "The Pedestrian Pound Report", recently published by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, come at a critical juncture for British high streets, with a record number of retail failures in 2022 and a vacancy rate of nearly one in seven by the end of 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
Yvette Cooper

Home secretary Yvette Cooper speaking at the annual conference hosted by the NPCC and APCC on 19 November 2024

Photo: GOV.UK

Home secretary pledges to restore neighbourhood policing

Home secretary Yvette Cooper has announced plans to rebuild neighbourhood policing and combat surging shop theft as part of an ambitious programme of reform to policing.

In her first major speech at the annual conference hosted by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners on Tuesday, Cooper highlighted four of the key areas for reform: neighbourhood policing, police performance, structures and capabilities, crime prevention.

Keep ReadingShow less