Corby MP shows support for striking Weetabix workers
Lee Barron, MP for Corby and East Northants, has shown his support for striking Weetabix workers on day two of their industrial action.
Members of the Usdaw union at the factories in Corby and Burton Latimer have walked out in a dispute over pay.
As the industrial action began, strikers said they were 'determined' to win after negotiations with the company to reach a settlement failed.
A total of 460 Usdaw union members (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) walked out and Mr Barron visited the Corby site.
Mr Barron said: “I’m writing to the company today to urge them to sit down with the workers and come up with an offer which is acceptable.
"They simply want to see wages keep up with inflation and what’s on offer now doesn’t do that. The Weetabix workers have my full support.”
Yesterday, Gavin Dadley, Usdaw regional secretary, said the decision to take industrial action was a ‘last resort’.
He said: "It’s a dispute solely over pay – Weetabix is not a bad employer. We asked for a substantial increase, submitted back in September 2024. We have had numerous meetings and we haven’t reached a level that we feel we can recommend to our members.”
The ballot for industrial action closed on March 17, 2025, giving the union a mandate for taking industrial action.
A Weetabix spokesman said “We are naturally disappointed to see our team on strike, but respect the voice of our production operators and their representatives Usdaw.
"As a business we continue to invest in our people and offer competitive salaries. Our door remains open to our team and their representatives to agree on an equitable solution that is fair to our wider workforce of 1,200.
“We are not expecting to see any impact on our stock availability due to robust planning and a resilient supply chain."