Skip to main content

Home  »  UK Business NewsUK Employment news   »   Glasgow coffin makers plan to go on strike in row over pay and conditions

Glasgow coffin makers plan to go on strike in row over pay and conditions

The co-operative funeralcare

Glasgow coffinmakers plan to go on strike and warn more

Coffin makers at the Co-op’s only UK coffin facility in Glasgow will strike again as part of an ongoing row over salary and conditions.

They are set to join workers from other sectors in an ongoing protest over salary and conditions.

Unite the Union said staff at the Co-op Funeralcare factory in Govan, Glasgow, will go on strike for a week between Monday, December 5 and Sunday, December 11.

READ MORE: ROYAL MAIL SLAMS UNION OVER ‘UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR’ BY STRIKERS

The union says Co-op officials have failed to make an appropriate offer to end the long-running dispute.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The Co-op seem to be revelling in playing the role of Scrooge this Christmas.

“Unite’s members deserve a fair pay award yet they have been made an offer which falls three times behind the current cost of living. 

“This is totally unacceptable and our members will have their union’s full backing in this fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”

READ MORE: GREENE KING PUB STAFF AND FAST-FOOD DELIVERY WORKERS SERVING KFC, BURGER KING AND PIZZA HUT JOIN UK STRIKES

The authorities promised a four percent hike for 2022 and five percent for 2023.

But they later turned it down when inflation reached a 40-year high.

The collapse in talks means the strike will involve around 50 workers.

The factory is approaching its third month of strike action, with the union warning more.

Willie Thomson, Unite industrial officer, added: “Bosses at the Co-op Funeralcare and Co-op UK have quite frankly dumped their co-operative values in the bin.

READ MORE: AMAZON WORKERS IN NEARLY 30 COUNTRIES WILL STRIKE ON BLACK FRIDAY

“They have chosen to subcontract and pay third party suppliers in preference to their workers who are rightly seeking a fair wage settlement.

“As well as ignoring their workers they are also ignoring the voices of politicians after the Co-op was named and shamed at both Holyrood and Westminster parliaments.

“The Co-op risks significant reputation damage and disruption to its supply of coffins by deliberately taking the decision to escalate this dispute.”

Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career

A spokesperson for the Co-op said: “We recognise the valuable contribution that our coffin factory workers make to our Co-op. 

“In-spite of ongoing strike action, we would like to offer reassurance that our coffin supply remains strong.

“We recognise that the rising cost of living is impacting our colleagues and we have ensured that the combined base pay and production bonus for roles within the Coffin Factory remain extremely competitive.”

Source: The Independent

Follow us on YouTubeTwitterLinkedIn, and Facebook.