Heinz's long-running pay dispute has come to an end after workers accepted its revised deal this week.
Unite members at Heinz's Kitt Green factory in Wigan voted overwhelmingly to accept an improved pay rise of 3.9% for the current financial year backdated to May 2010, and for 2011 to 2012, along with the consolidation of an additional pay supplement into basic wages from October.
Members voted by 805 (75.7%) to 258 (24.3%) to accept the deal in a secret ballot that closed on Tuesday, halting the industrial action that has plagued the food giant since December.
Staff at the company's flagship UK plant, which employs about 1,200 workers and churns out 1.5 million tins of beans a day, called on Unite to ballot for strike action last year after they rejected a below-inflation headline pay rise of 3.3% and 3% cap in 2011.
"We are pleased to have reached a negotiated settlement with Heinz," said Unite national officer for food and drink Jennie Formby. "It is important that Heinz has listened to its workforce and offered a fairer pay deal, one that acknowledges the contribution the workforce has made to Heinz's success. Without the courage and determination of the workers and the excellent leadership of their stewards, we would not have any movement from the company."
Heinz said the trade union team and factory management were agreed on working closely together to enhance ways of working at the site. Formby added: "The new offer has been overwhelmingly accepted by members and therefore the dispute has ended."
Unite members at Heinz's Kitt Green factory in Wigan voted overwhelmingly to accept an improved pay rise of 3.9% for the current financial year backdated to May 2010, and for 2011 to 2012, along with the consolidation of an additional pay supplement into basic wages from October.
Members voted by 805 (75.7%) to 258 (24.3%) to accept the deal in a secret ballot that closed on Tuesday, halting the industrial action that has plagued the food giant since December.
Staff at the company's flagship UK plant, which employs about 1,200 workers and churns out 1.5 million tins of beans a day, called on Unite to ballot for strike action last year after they rejected a below-inflation headline pay rise of 3.3% and 3% cap in 2011.
"We are pleased to have reached a negotiated settlement with Heinz," said Unite national officer for food and drink Jennie Formby. "It is important that Heinz has listened to its workforce and offered a fairer pay deal, one that acknowledges the contribution the workforce has made to Heinz's success. Without the courage and determination of the workers and the excellent leadership of their stewards, we would not have any movement from the company."
Heinz said the trade union team and factory management were agreed on working closely together to enhance ways of working at the site. Formby added: "The new offer has been overwhelmingly accepted by members and therefore the dispute has ended."
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