Strike threat at pay-row Park Cakes

PARK Cake bakery staff are unhappy about missing pay deal.

EMPLOYEES at Park Cake Bakery are balloting for strike action over a pay dispute.

The Hathershaw company — which makes cakes, pastries and desserts under its own names as well as for M&S — didn’t offer staff a new pay deal on the last Sunday of March, as they had ben expecting.

Now 500 members of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union are being balloted over their terms and conditions.

About 200 union members at Park’s Bolton site are not currently involved.

Roy Streeter, regional spokesman for BFAWU, said: “They wanted to put the review on hold but our members weren’t happy with that.

“After another meeting the company said they would look at it again in September — but there is no promise pay would be backdated.

“We want to support the company but in the past we had a pay freeze while the directors got a record percentage increase.”

Mr Streeter added: “I don’t want to quote what figures would be acceptable to our members but what isn’t acceptable is nothing.

“If that is the case in September, we may have to service notice on the company — but hopefully they will offer a pay increase.”

Anne Allen, chief executive officer of Park Cake Bakeries said the company was keen to talk to worker representatives, but faced “competitive and pricing” pressure and had to think long-term

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