A strike at Nestlé’s pizza plant in Caudry, northern France, over wage demands, has entered its third week.
Industrial action at one stage was being supported by around 90% of the plant’s 142 staff, halting production of its Buitoni pizzas.
Staff unions are demanding a fixed wage increase of EUR175 (US$219) per month while Nestlé has offered EUR80, plus bonuses and other benefits.
“This represents an increase of 4-5%, well above the inflation rate and is the best offer we we can put on the table at the moment,” a spokesperson for Nestlé told just-food today.
Workers at the plant have begun returning to work since the start of the week, allowing one of the plant’s two production lines to re-enter service, the spokesperson said.
“We estimate that the number staff at the plant who are not supporting the strike now stands at a little over 50%.”
On Monday, a staff delegation attended Nestlé France HQ in Paris for negotiations but came away without any progress being made, a CGT union official said.
“Our demands are not exorbitant but management is choosing to turn a deaf ear.”
Today, striking workers have organised action to slow down traffic in the area around Caudry to highlight the strike.
