Three-day bakery strike called off

Park Cake bakery; strike called off

STRIKE action planned for this week at Park Cake Bakery has been called off.

Staff at the Hathershaw site were set to down tools and walk out tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday over a contracts dispute.

But industrial action was called off after 500 Oldham members of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, (BFAWU) were balloted over a new contract and accepted the company’s proposal.

In October, union representatives claimed that management had brought in a new contract to get round new Government laws designed to protect agency workers.

Unions said this would create a two-tier pay system between permanent staff and new employees.

However, the company, which is a leading UK private-label producer of premium cakes and desserts and has Marks & Spencer as its biggest customer, said it had consulted with the unions on the introduction of new contracts for new employees.

Last week, 337 union members in Oldham accepted the new contract, and 91 rejected it.

A total of 170 out of 200 union members at the bakery’s Bolton site accepted the proposal.

Geoff Atkinson, organising regional secretary for the North-West, said: “I believe it is good news because we’ve created permanent contracts, albeit on minimum wage, but staff have the opportunity to move to better conditions. As a union we have achieved permanent positions that give people a bit of security.

“They know they’re getting guaranteed wages and hours which is important especially in these difficult times.”

A spokesman for Park Cake said: “We welcome the workforce’s decision and remain keen to maintain an open dialogue going forward.”