As strike action enters a sixth week at Pilgrim’s Europe, the union has accused the company of the “illegal” use of agency staff at its Northern Ireland plant.
An industrial dispute over pay and equal paid breaks has been ongoing at the Enniskillen meat facility in County Fermanagh since the start of August.
Strikes escalated earlier this month as the parties failed to reach an agreement, although Pilgrim’s Europe had said its pay offers had been rejected by the Unite union.
Unite, which represents around 130 staff at the factory producing Fridge Raiders and Richmond sausages, said it has asked the government to investigate the use of temporary workers supplied by the employment agency Staffline Group.
The union claims Staffline “advertised for immediate start positions at Pilgrim’s after Unite wrote to raise the need for compliance with agency regulations”.
According to the Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2005 Act in Northern Ireland, Unite said it is a “criminal offence for employment agencies to supply labour to employers specifically for the purposes of covering work normally covered by employees who are taking part in lawful industrial action”.
In a statement, the union added: “Unite has formally complained to the department of economy's employment agency inspectorate over Pilgrim's Europe’s illegal use of agency workers during the strike at the company’s Enniskillen factory.
“The union has demanded the inspectorate to immediately investigate the number of agency workers being used by Pilgrim’s and whether they are performing duties undertaken by employees participating in industrial action.”
Pilgrim’s Europe and Staffline have yet to respond to Just Food’s request for comment on the accusations.
The company is part of the US-based Pilgrim’s Pride business, which is owned by Brazilian meat giant JBS.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said in the statement: "Pilgrim’s is desperately trying to continue production, rather than give the workers a fair pay increase. It’s illegal to bring agency workers in to cover striking workers and this matter must immediately be investigated and action taken.”
The union claims production at Enniskillen has been “severely impacted” by the strike as Unite said it had written to the Health and Safety Executive in North Ireland on 28 August “asking them to investigate concerns about Pilgrim’s production”.
Greg O’Kane, the regional officer for Unite, suggested agency workers were being “bussed” into the Enniskillen facility from Armagh, less than an hour’s drive away.
He added: “In recent days, the agency posted advertisements for immediate start positions at the factory. The department of economy needs to act urgently to ensure the right of workers to undertake lawful industrial action is protected.”
