Campaign news

Support Gunstone’s Workers

8th July 2015

Support Gunstone’s Workers

Members of the Bakers Union at Gunstone’s in Dronfield will be taking a further 48 hours of strike action in their long running dispute with the 2 Sisters company over the company’s attempt to deny a pay rise and force workers onto new contracts of employment with worse terms and conditions.

This is a key dispute in the food industry to resist the “race to the bottom”. There will be 24hr picket lines from 6.30 am on Thursday 16th and the Bakers Union is calling on the trade union movement to show maximum support and solidarity.

      1. Send Messages of support to the local Gunstone’s Bakers Union john.higgins@bfawu.org

 
      2. Come along to the picket line at Gunstone’s, Stubley Lane, Dronfield S18 1PF

Early Day motion in Support of Gunstone’s Workers

That this House notes that management at Gunstones Bakery, near Sheffield, having recently made over 400 redundancies, is now trying to impose a pay freeze on the remaining workforce; further notes that the Chief Executive of the parent company, 2 Sisters Food Group, Ranjit Singh Boparan, and his wife, are estimated by the Asian Rich List to enjoy a personal fortune totalling £1.35 billion; deplores the exploitative business model that has seen attacks on jobs, pay and conditions across the 2 Sisters Group; highlights the goodwill previously shown by Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) officials and members in offering to suspend pay negotiations whilst the redundancy process was conducted; believes that the company management is now being unreasonable in insisting that any increase in pay would need to be financed via reductions in existing terms and conditions of BFAWU members; recognises that BFAWU members have been obliged to take industrial action to protect their pay and conditions; and calls on their employers to enter into meaningful negotiations to resolve the dispute.

Supported by:

Anderson, David Labour Party Blaydon
Burgon, Richard Labour Party Leeds East
Corbyn, Jeremy Labour Party Islington North
Crausby, David Labour Party Bolton North East
Flynn, Paul Labour Party Newport West
Glindon, Mary Labour Party North Tyneside
Godsiff, Roger Labour Party Birmingham Hall Green
Haigh, Louise Labour Party Sheffield Heeley
Hopkins, Kelvin Labour Party Luton North
Lavery, Ian Labour Party Wansbeck
Madders, Justin Labour Party Ellesmere Port and Neston
Maskell, Rachael Labour Party York Central
Matheson, Chris Labour Party City of Chester
McDonnell, John Labour Party Hayes and Harlington
McInnes, Liz Labour Party Heywood and Middleton
Mearns, Ian Labour Party Gateshead
Morris, Grahame M Labour Party Easington
Skinner, Dennis Labour Party Bolsover
Stephens, Christopher Scottish National Party Glasgow South West