Workers begin strike action at Wigan manufacturing firm amid 'fire and rehire' plans
Staff at a Wigan manufacturing firm waved flags and placards on the picket line as they began six days of strike action.
Members of trade union Unite walked out from the plastic packaging firm Alpla UK in Golborne on Monday and Tuesday.
Unite says the firm wants to “fire and rehire” staff and 150 workers are being threatened with the sack if they do not accept shift changes that will increase their hours, which include extra nights and weekend working.
Leigh and Atherton MP Jo Platt visited the picket line to support the striking workers and reportedly said she would write to the company, setting out her concerns.
A Unite representative at the plant said: “The decision to take part in industrial strike action is not one that is taken lightly. However, the company decision to go down the route of fire and rehire cannot be accepted. This immoral and soon to be unlawful practice needs to be challenged.
"The Unite representatives remain open to continue negotiating with the company to reach an acceptable agreement and this has been communicated to the company on more than one occasion.”
Dave Lowe, secretary of Wigan Trades Union Council, said: “What Alpla are doing is trying to pre-empt the Government’s new Employment Act, which puts restrictions on firing and hiring workers, by exploiting the time lag in the act’s passing. Alpla are a rich company with £4billion profits across the industry internationally and over £26million being squeezed from the UK workforce alone.
"Wigan Trades Union Council will support these workers for so long as the dispute continues. As representing trade unions across the borough, we are not going to stand by and watch workers in Wigan having their wages and conditions cut to solve what appears to be a company crisis of its own making.”
Unite’s workers at Alpla are planning to take further strike action on June 27 and 28 and July 11 and 12 over the plans to rehire them on different contracts.
Wigan Today has previously tried to contact Alpla about the ongoing dispute but did not receive a response.