Billion pound food business faces fair pay rallies in Teesside and Philippines

When: 0800 hrs Thursday 20 October 2022

Where: Stokesley Town Hall, Stokesley High Street, TS9 7AB and Ayala Avenue Office Tower, Manila, Philippines

Workers for the food giant Quorn who are on strike for a fair wage will link up with food workers based in the Philippines, their union, Unite, said today (Wednesday).

Unite's members will be joined by members of the International Union of Food Workers (IUF) who will take the protest to the Manila headquarters of parent company Monde Nissin.

The Manila rally will take place as the striking workers march through Stokesley to Quorn’s UK headquarters in protest at the company’s refusal to put forward a cost of living pay rise.

The demonstrations will get underway as the UK workers begin all out strike action at Quorn's Billingham factory.

Quorn’s turnover for the ending 31 December 2021 were £224.9 million and the company made pretax profits of £7.36 million. The company is owned by Philippines-based Monde Nissin, which brought in record revenues of more than £1 billion during the same period. Quorn’s highest paid director was paid nearly £1.5 million.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Quorn and Monde Nissin are raking it in but their workforce is being told to take what is a pay cut amid a cost of living crisis.  This is just not acceptable to Unite. 

"Quorn can afford to put forward a proper pay rise and must do so. Our members in Billingham have Unite’s complete support during these strikes.”

The workers are striking over a four per cent pay offer plus a one-off payment of a £1,000. They are seeking a nine per cent pay rise, which was the RPI inflation rate in April when negotiations began. 

As fermenter and chiller technicians, maintenance and laboratory staff and effluent treatment plant staff, the workers are highly skilled and vital to the running of the Billingham factory, which produces meat free paste.

IUF regional secretary for the Asia/Pacific region, Hidayat Greenfield, said: “Monde Nissin earned just over a £1 billion last year, profits made by the hard work of these workers, so this company absolutely has the money for a proper pay rise. 

"Our members in the Philippines are proud to be protesting outside Monde Nissin’s headquarters in support of the workforce and their fight for fair pay.”

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215.

Email: [email protected] 

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Web: unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.