A potential tea shortage has been successfully avoided at Tetley.
- Tetley workers have agreed to a new pay contract, halting imminent strikes.
- The agreement was reached after initial pay proposals were rejected in July.
- Nearly 200 workers, primarily women, will receive a 7% pay increase.
- Strikes at a Tesco depot suggest ongoing industrial unrest in the sector.
A potential crisis in tea supply has been averted at Tetley after workers agreed to a revised pay deal. Initially, tensions rose when almost 200 members of the GMB Union at Tata Consumer Products in Teeside, the sole producer of Tetley Tea for the UK, voted in favour of strike action following their rejection of a pay offer in July.
The dispute centred around demands for better compensation. The workers, described as “low-paid, predominantly women,” were initially offered a pay rise they considered insufficient, leading to the threat of industrial action. However, the situation shifted as the employees accepted a new proposal, providing a 7% pay increase backdated to 1 April 2023.
GMB organiser, Laura Maughan, praised the workers’ persistence, stating, “After years of real terms pay cuts, these low-paid, predominantly women workers have stood together and demanded more – and they’ve got it.” She emphasised that the increase would help support families and reduce reliance on food banks, while also acknowledging the need for further progress towards pay justice.
Meanwhile, the sector faces broader challenges as seen with Tesco set to face a series of strikes at one of its depots. Unite the Union members, including cleaning and catering staff, are protesting against new contracts imposed without accompanying pay increases. These workers have announced multiple strike dates in September to express their grievances.
The resolution at Tetley is a significant development, though it highlights the ongoing challenges and unrest within the sector, as organisations and employees continue to negotiate terms amidst economic pressures.
The agreement at Tetley is a crucial step, yet the broader industrial unrest remains a pressing concern.
