Drinks workers to strike in pay row

Updated 10.43 Tue Jul 17 2007

Keywords: strikes, Coca-Cola, pay

Workers for Coca-Cola are set to stage two 48-hour strikes in a row over pay, it has been announced.

Union Unite said the walk-outs, planned for later this month and August at the Wakefield site in West Yorkshire, will have a "significant impact" on Coke supplies and other drinks the company manufactures to stores across the country.

Workers recently rejected a two-year pay deal in which the unions said it would increase basic wage rates by 2.5 per cent each year

The union also announced that its 400 members at the plant will start a continuous overtime ban next week, which it is said will also hit supplies.

Workers recently rejected a two-year pay deal in which the unions said it would increase basic wage rates by 2.5 per cent each year.

Despite the offer being improved during talks, officials said it was not enough to call off the strikes.

Unite official Kelvin Mawer said: "Coca-Cola now faces strike action during the height of the summer. The action will have a significant effect on the supply of Coca-Cola products.

"Coca-Cola is a very successful company but it has offered its staff a pay cut in real terms and the workers have found it unacceptable."

The walkouts are scheduled to take place on July 26-27 and August 13-14.