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Every worker counts: justice for workers employed by companies operating in Tesco's supply UK supply chain

27 November 2008

Launched by Unite's Joint General Secretary, Tony Woodley, a national photo call illustrated with giant chickens will be held outside Tesco in Regent Street. Unite's message to Tesco is that: "Every Worker Counts". The demonstrations mark the beginning of an ongoing campaign, calling for justice for workers employed by companies operating in Tesco's UK meat supply chain.

The union has presented Tesco with evidence that workers in its UK supply chain are experiencing harsh and divisive conditions that in some cases are abusive. Unite believes that structural discrimination exists in many parts of the supply chain that provides meat to Tesco.

Unite joint general secretary, Tony Woodley said, "This supermarket juggernaut takes £1 of every £8 spent on the UK High Street. But many workers in its UK meat supply chain experience harsh and divisive conditions.

"We believe that Tesco’s procurement practices are creating divisions between migrant and indigenous workers across the Britain and Ireland.

"Tesco dictate the price of the contracts with its suppliers, they made profits of £2.1bn in 2007 so they cannot wash their hands of responsibility.

"It's time for Tesco to value its meat supply chain and make sure every worker counts. Unite is calling on Tesco to sign a minimum standards agreement and to establish Tesco Ethical Model Factories. This will cost next to nothing but will make a world of difference to workers in Tesco's meat supply chain as well as establishing Tesco as an ethical leader. The power is in the hands of Tesco to make a real difference ."

As an indication of the seriousness of Unite's claims, the powerful Equality and Human Rights Commission has announced that it is to examine the UK's multi-billion pound meat industry in England and Wales for evidence of employment abuse and discrimination.

The Tesco launch is part of an ongoing campaign by Unite to improve the treatment of workers, including agency workers, in the UK supermarket supply chain. Unite is concerned that agency workers are often on poorer conditions of employment than core workers and the undercutting of directly-employed workers has caused division in the workplace and damaged social cohesion.

A permanent two tier workforce has opened up in the meat supply industry in the UK, where mainly migrant agency labour are on worse terms and conditions than directly employed staff often for doing the same job, causing division in workplaces and communities;

Dramatic casualisation of work so that hundreds of workers employed in the supply chain of meat to Tesco do not know day to day, or week to week, what work they have and risk being punished for not using agency housing or transport by the withdrawal of regular work.

ENDS

Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315

Notes to editors:

Tesco supplier case studies

The Equality and Human Rights Commission, established in 2007, is to use its powers to undertake its first ever Inquiry into a key sector of the economy. The Inquiry will consider the two-tier employment practices within the meat supply chain, a significant industry employing some 40,000 workers across Britain engaged in processing and packing meat for sale in supermarkets and retailers across the British Isles.

The Commission will be examining the relationship between employment and supply chain practices with forced down terms and conditions and abuse of workers within the sector. In particular, the Commission will be examining the differentials in treatment between agency and permanent workers, UK and migrant workers, and the knock-on effect of this for community relations.

Ethical Model Factories would be based on the belief that all workers undertaking the same work, who are equally qualified, should be treated equally from the commencement of employment, including being paid equally, regardless of employment status. Unite is also committed to ensuring agency workers have a route to permanent employment following 13 weeks of continuous work.