Strike action averted at Maple Leaf Bakery Walsall

The Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) originally balloted staff in June over strike action, due to contractual changes proposed by the firm, and strike action – two days per week – was scheduled to last 12 weeks from September 9.

Agreement reached​

But BFAWU organising regional secretary John Higgins told FoodManufacture.co.uk today that the union had reached agreement with management at the factory.

“We actually signed the new substantive on Tuesday ​[of last week], and although it’s not the greatest settlement in the world, it’s certainly a lot better than the deal management were prepared to implement a couple of months ago.”​

Higgins said the BFAWU acknowledged that throughout the current dispute Maple Leaf Bakery UK had been in a “difficult position, although we obviously didn’t want to let them walk all over members”​. He said the new agreement meant that the lowest pay rate had now been increased by £1.10 to £7.70 per hour, rising to £8.45 per hour.

In return, said Higgins, members agreed to the removal of overtime rates for weekend work and shift premiums, which Maple Leaf Bakery UK originally informed staff that it wished to implement (alongside other changes to general terms and conditions) via the announcement of a statutory 90-day consultation period which ended in mid-August.

Bleak economic background​

Maple Leaf Bakery UK HR director Bob Archer told FoodManufacture.co.uk last month that the firm were “disappointed” ​when employees chose to take industrial action, despite trade union advice to accept an improved offer from the company.

He said that the dispute was set against a "bleak economic background and severely increased raw material costs. ​

“All these issues are challenging at a time when our customers are continuing to place demands upon the business at Walsall to produce a product at a market competitive price,”​ Archer added.

Maple Leaf Bakery UK is a leading specialty bakery producing bagels, croissants, Italian ciabatta and other bakery products for the UK and continental markets. It employs approximately 1,200 people in the UK across six facilities.