WORKERS at a Newtownards factory have voted to strike for seven days next week as ‘a last resort’ following a pay dispute.
Production staff at LE Pritchitt & Company Limited, who are members of Unite, have voted unanimously to take strike action next week, bringing the Newtownards based factory, which processes long-life milk products, to a standstill.
The planned strike action is a result of a pay dispute, with employees pushing the company, which is an arm of the Lakeland Dairies Company, for a nine percent pay rise.
It is understood that brief negotiations took place yesterday afternoon between the company and union representatives in an attempt to resolve the issue, however an offer of 8.2 percent pay increase was rejected.
Now members of Unite at the company are set to strike for seven days next week, beginning at 6am on Wednesday, February 21 and ending at 5.59am on February 28.
It is understood that brief negotiations took place yesterday afternoon between the company and union representatives in an attempt to resolve the issue, however an offer of 8.2 percent pay increase was rejected.
Gary Hamilton, who is a senior representative for Unite, said while he had never seen any strike action in his 31 years at the factory, he felt it was a ‘justified’ decision.
“We feel we have been driven to this because we have been in seven months of talks,” Gary explained.
“It’s unresolved and it doesn’t look like it will be resolved.”
Noting the rising National Living Wage, which is set to reach £11.44 per hour in April, Gary said that while nine percent maybe sounded high, workers would ‘still be behind’, noting the expertise needed for their positions in the industry.
Gary continued: “The company has made record profits for six years running. They made €32.5m this year and they are the second largest milk processors on the island of Ireland.”
“In my 31 years there has never been a strike in the company. There is a very loyal workforce in the place and they’ve never went on strike before,” Gary added.
Gary said the strike would place ‘pressure’ on the company’s order books, with no production staff available to process the 600,000 litres of milk produced daily.
Unite represents the majority of production workers at the factory which employs approximately 200 people, stating that the workers are seeking a ‘vastly improved pay offer’.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite members at Pritchitt fully deserve a decent pay deal. This company has enjoyed a huge increase in its turnover and profitability in the last year and it can well afford to pay its workers a fair pay increase.
“Unite does what it says on the trade union tin and always prioritises the jobs, pay and conditions of its members. The workers at Pritchitt will receive the union’s unfettered support.”
A spokesperson from Lakeland Dairies said the company was aware of the planned industrial action.
“We are hopeful that Lakeland Dairies and union representatives can reach an amicable solution to this matter as soon as possible,” he said.
“Lakeland Dairies has robust business continuity and processing plans in place to deal with any potential disruption. This is to ensure all high-quality milk is collected from our 3,200 farm families and processed to serve the needs of our customers with business-as-usual.”
