GMB union confirms end of ‘longest UK chocolate strike,’ as workers accept Cargill pay deal
pic: GMB
The GMB trade union has confirmed that industrial action claimed as the ‘UK’s longest chocolate strike’ has ended, after workers agree a new pay deal after seven weeks of negotiations, writes Neill Barston.
According to the organisation, its members opted to support a revised pay offer from the company, with national media running stories over concerns that confectionery supplies could be impacted in the run-up to Christmas, which the company denied.
As the union noted, the offer will see workers at its Nottinghamshire facility receive an inflation busting 10.4% pay rise, along with a one-off cost of living payment, with workers unable to reach an agreement before Christmas, with a lesser sum being offered by the manufacturer.
Dozens of workers at the company, who provide chocolate for some of Britain’s favourite choc-treats, have taken fourteen days of strike action since late November 2023. The case had gained notable media coverage last month, amid stories that had claimed there would be a potential shortage of Ferrero Rocher chocolates in the UK, but Cargill confirmed that its supplies are not used for the brand.
Speaking previously to Confectionery Production, the business said it had tabled what it believed to be a fair offer previously, but workers had rejected the initial terms, amid an ongoing cost of living criss that has hit the UK especially hard over the past year, with retail prices, including for many confectionery ranges, remaining comparatively high.
Cameron Mitchell, GMB Organiser, said: “These workers keep Cargill running, day in day out. “After seven long weeks, it’s only right that company bosses finally recognise the value they bring to the company. I’m delighted that they’ve stood united as GMB and delivered this outcome”.
