"Jacobs Douwe Egberts coffee plant strike over job fears”, 16 March 2021

Workers at the Jacob Douwe Egberts coffee factory in Banbury have voted in favour of a ballot on industry action over concerns for nearly 300 jobs.

Unite said its members had voted by 96% in a consultative ballot to hold a full-scale industrial action, with the option to strike…

The union added that its members were also ‘furious’ at proposed changed to the company’s pension scheme…

Joe Clarke, Unite national officer for the food and drink industry, said: “There is no reason, except excessive corporate greed, why the Banbury bosses have adopted this immoral decision to adopt a ‘fire and rehire’ strategy in the midst of a global pandemic which will damage our members’ incomes…”

Rob Williams, JDE Banbury plant director, said the proposed changes to working practices at the factory were to ensure the company was in the ‘strongest possible position’ to remain competitive.”

Williams added: “We have not issued a notice of dismissal and re-engagement at this time. Once the collective and individual consultations have been exhausted, this could be one of the outcome of the Section 188 process. We urge the union committee to constructively participate in the consultation to reach a mutual agreement that benefits both our associates and the business.”