Wine supplies could be “substantially” impacted due to widespread strikes at a major supplier. Workers began a 16-day strike today at Encirc, Bristol, a warehouse that bottles 18 of the 20 most popular wine brands in the UK.
Some 200 Unite members at the Avonmouth site in Bristol are set to walk out from June 19 until Saturday, July 5, due to a pay dispute. Workers in different parts of the business, including bottling, packaging and distribution, will take strike action on different dates and times to have the biggest impact. There will also be a 12-week overtime ban as part of the action. It is causing major fears about wine shortages, as the Bristol firm supplies all the UK’s major supermarkets.
Encirc holds a 40% market share and it makes three billion glass containers for leading global booze brands. Experts say the knock-on effect to wine availability in supermarkets is likely to be “substantial”.
Unite said the firm has offered its workers a 3.2% pay rise without negotiating, and that pay rises will be tied to inflation.
Previously, the union had been able to negotiate with management on pay, and it believes this signals their collective bargaining rights will be removed.
According to Unite, Encirc is a “very profitable company” with a turnover of over £600million, but said it “chooses” not to pay its workers “properly”.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Encirc’s meanness to its workers is all about greed and not need. This is a very lucrative company that can fully afford to pay its workers properly but it is choosing not to.”
She added: “Unite will not stand idly by and allow Encric to steal our members hard won rights. Encirc workers deserve better and they have Unite’s full support throughout this dispute.”
Unite regional officer John Sweeney said: “There is no doubt that this action will hit supermarket shelves. While shortages may be frustrating for customers looking to enjoy a bottle of wine this summer, the situation is entirely of Encirc’s own making.
“Management has constantly refused to engage meaningfully. Encirc needs to return to the negotiating table with a vastly improved offer.”
Encric has said it will “mitigate any impact” the Encirc strike may have and remains “open to dialogue with the union in good faith”.