Food and drink packaging supplies threatened by strike action

Food and drink packaging shortages could result from four weeks of strikes at a Cepac plant in Darlington.

According to reports via Food Manufacture, a dispute over pay and working conditions could lead to workers at Cepac in Darlington starting strike action that could last for the next month.

Reports have stated that more than 90 members of trade union Unite are taking part in the industrial action and have pledged that there is no way our members will accept worse conditions knowing that the company can afford a fairer pay offer.

Speaking about the situation, Unite regional officer Pat McCourt said: “Unite does what it says on the trade union tin and always puts the jobs, pay and conditions of its members first. The workers at Cepac will receive the union’s complete support.”

McCourt explained that, if left unresolved, the strike could potentially lead to packaging shortages across the food and drink industry.

He added: “Unite has bent over backwards to try to secure an agreement and not only has the company refused to listen, it is making further threats to our members.

Responding to the situation, Cepac managing director Steve Moss warned that strike action “threatens the stability and future” of the business and insisted that the company will “take actions to seek to minimise disruption” but revealed that it has “already been forced to postpone significant investment projects due to the adverse impact of the uncertainty created by this industrial action”.