Nestle workers across the UK are being balloted on industrial action over an alleged pay freeze.

The GMB, one of the trade unions representing Nestle workers, told just-drinks sister site just-food today (6 April) that Nestle has rejected a claim for a 2.5% pay increase for UK workers, insisting that 0% would be offered for 2010.

Alan Black, a spokesperson for the GMB, said a ballot is taking place to begin a process of possible industrial action.

“Nestle in the UK bargain at plant level in theory but late last year they announced that they were of the view that there should be no pay increase in 2010. That cuts right across the idea of each plant finding its own destiny on whether it’s profitable or not profitable,” Black said.

“You can’t have local bargaining and a blanket decision as to whether to implement a pay freeze. We pointed this out to them and they said, no there’s not actually a pay freeze, it’s just that at each factory 0% will be offered. Well that sounds to me remarkably like a pay freeze,” he said.

He added that Nestle were “jumping on the recession bandwagon”, despite being a “very very very profitable company”.

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He added that negotiations at three plants in York, Newcastle and Scotland had been “exhausted” and that it was now balloting all of its Nestle members across the UK for possible industrial action.

The ballot, the GMB said, will close within the next few weeks and a decision on industrial action is expected to be made by 23 April.

Officials at Nestle could not be reached for immediate comment.

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