STRIKE action planned by mill workers employed by feed compounder AB Agri have the potential to disrupt the supply of pig and poultry feed, according to the union Unite.
Around 150 workers plan to take strike action between 1 and 7 April, “Work to Rule” will be in effect from 8-14 April before “all out indefinite strike action” takes place from 15 April.
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The workers, based at mills in Suffolk, Norfork, Oxfordshire, Fife, Devon, Lincolnshire and East and North Yorkshire, rejected a pay offer of 4.5%.
They argue that, with RPI (Retail Price Index) at 13.4%, it represents “a significant real terms pay cut”.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “AB Agri and ABF can well afford to pay these workers a fair pay rise.
Dispute
“Instead, they have forced through a substantial real terms pay cut.
“Unite never accepts attacks on our members’ jobs, pay or conditions, and AB AGRI workers will receive their union’s full backing during these strikes.”
The dispute is also over AB Agri’s not recognising the mill workers as a national bargaining unit represented by Unite.
We have asked AB Agri for a comment.
