‘Resilient and steadfast’

A four day strike at corrugated packaging company Smurfit Kappa in Northampton will start next Friday (April 17) over the sacking of two senior stewards, both members of Unite.

 
The four-day stoppage will start at 5.50am on Friday and ends at 6.00am on Tuesday, April 21.

 
Unite’s 108 members have already taken two days of strike action on April 1 and 2 in support of their two dismissed colleagues who stood up to the company over ‘race to the bottom’ contracts and alleged incorrect bonus payments.

 
Unite said that it is ready to hold talks with the company at any time, under the auspices of the conciliation service, Acas – but, so far, the management has maintained its hard line.

 
“Our members are resilient and steadfast in getting our two dismissed reps back to work and have decided to escalate the action to a four day stoppage starting next Friday,” said Unite regional officer Mick Orpin.

 
Orpin explained that the strike will run in tandem with the month long work to rule and overtime ban which finishes on April 24, and it is anticipated that all our members will be taking part in the upcoming escalation.

 
“We are still hopeful that the company will agree to meet with us and enter into positive discussions – but, at present, it is maintaining its hard line,” Orpin added. “We call on Smurfit Kappa to reinstate the two stewards immediately.”

 
Orpin noted that both stewards were instrumental in bringing a claim against the company for the incorrect payment of a bonus, going back a number of years, and could cost the company over ÂŁ250,000, depending on the outcome of a forthcoming court case.

 
“They were also instrumental in resisting second generation contracts being introduced into the workplace in 2014 which would have meant new starters getting paid less than existing workers for the same job,” he added.

 
Unite members voted by 60 per cent for strike action and 73 per cent for action short of a strike over the dismissal of the first steward and the suspended second steward, since sacked.

 
Smurfit Kappa is one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging in the world, with about 42,000 employees across 32 countries.