Unite has launched a recognition campaign at Milk & More after a deterioration of industrial relations.
Milk & More has formally moved to derecognise Unite and fellow union Usdaw.
The move sought to eliminate union-negotiated pay deals, shut workers out of discussions over health and safety, and leave key workplace decisions in the hands of management, Unite said.
“It is a disgrace that a company built on the backs of its workers is now attempting to de-recognise unions,” said Unite general secretary Sharon Graham. “Milk & More’s owners are not interested in dialogue or decency – they want complete control.
“Unite won’t stand for such union-busting tactics and we are immediately launching a campaign to boost membership and win back recognition. The bosses of Milk & More need to think again.”
Unite’s campaign will see it launch a statutory application to regain collective bargaining rights for Milk & More employees, and it has called on all workers to join the union and sign the recognition petition.
Milk & More trades as MoreCo Group Limited, which is now owned by the same individuals who control the Nijjar Group Freshway Holdings Limited – a group of companies Unite said were known for “aggressive cost-cutting and a lack of transparency over labour relations”.
Workers have also reported that the company’s internal actions are moving toward corporate control rather than “fair, accountable working practices”.
“This is a textbook case of union busting,” said Unite regional officer Penny Wright. “Milk & More has stripped workers of their collective voice to impose its agenda without resistance.
“Every worker has the legal right to union representation. This fight is about more than Milk & More – it’s about stopping a dangerous precedent where companies think they can sideline the very people who make their business possible.”
A source close to Milk & More told The Grocer that “the union is out of touch, which is perhaps why their membership from across the business has fallen to around 5%”.
”The new management at Milk & More have excellent relationships with their workforce and have a range of ways in which they hear from colleagues at every level,” the source added. ”This business is back on the up after years of decline and you don’t get results like that unless management and frontline colleagues are on the same page.”
Unite is also calling on the wider public, political leaders, and the labour movement to support the campaign to defend basic union rights.
Milk & More turned down the opportunity to comment.
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