Workers at Coca-Cola Enterprise’s (CCE) largest bottling and distribution centre will stage a series of 48-hour strikes on 26 and 27 July and 13 and 14 August.
The move comes after CCE offered workers at the Wakefield plant in Yorkshire a 2.5% pay cut earlier this year, and then asked them to sacrifice parts of their overtime rates and bonuses to improve the original offer.
Super-union Unite balloted
more than 500 staff on a strike in June, in response to CCE’s below-inflation pay offer to workers.
The Wakefield manufacturing plant produces up to 6,000 cans and 1,650 bottles of soft drink every minute. Unite said industrial action could have a devastating effect on supplies of Coca-Cola, Oasis and Dr Pepper, with shops, supermarkets, vending machines, pubs and hotels across the UK being affected.
Unite regional officer, Kelvin Mawer said: “It’s unacceptable that one of the world’s most famous brands is offering workers a pay cut this year for their hard work. Shops, supermarkets, pubs and hotels now face the prospect of shortages of Coca-Cola during the height of the summer.”
Unite said it will continue to negotiate with CCE to resolve the dispute over workers’ pay, and to avoid the proposed industrial action.
