More than 200 employees at the UK wine bottler and packaging company Encirc have secured an agreement on pay following strike action.
In a statement, trade union Unite, said its members at Encirc’s Avonmouth site secured a “vastly improved pay and conditions deal”.
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The announcement brings a series of strikes which began last month to an end.
The agreed deal includes a 4.4% pay rise, backdated to January 2025, with pensions increasing by 1%, also backdated to January.
Encirc had previously offered a 3.2% increase in pay without engaging in talks. The union said at the time the move removed its “collective bargaining rights”.
Commenting on the latest deal, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is an excellent result for our members at Encirc, who by being prepared to take strike action have secured far better pay and conditions.
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By GlobalData“This result shows how Unite’s laser-like focus on jobs, pay and conditions delivers for our members.”
In response, an Encirc spokesperson said: “We are pleased a settlement has been reached.”
Encirc’s Avonmouth site in south-west England is involved in bottling and packaging various wines, including red, rosé, white, and sparkling.
Some workers also manage product distribution from warehouses. Encirc operates under the Vidrala Group and serves as a bottler for wine, beer, and spirits in the UK.
Unite had previously warned that the strikes could lead to shortages of bottled, boxed, and bagged wines on supermarket shelves as it supplies to “all major supermarkets”.
“Throughout the short period of industrial action, our contingency plans ensured there was no interruption to our production or supply chain demands,” an Encirc spokesperson said.
Under the latest agreement, overtime rates have also been improved, with double time now paid from 19:00 on Friday to 07:00 Monday, Unite said.
The agreement also includes improvements to the redundancy and sickness policies.
In addition to Avonmouth, Encirc has facilities in Derrylin in Northern Ireland and Elton in Cheshire.
