Some of the UK's favourite soft drinks could be in short supply this summer as strike action begins to fizz once again.
Hundreds of workers at the largest soft drinks plant in Europe, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) in Wakefield, have voted for industrial action by a margin of 87% in protest over a pay offer that allegedly does nothing to address the cost-of-living crisis.
The workers are planning 14 days of strikes between Thursday 8 June and Thursday 22 June.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is making profits in the billions but it's delivering a pay cut to the very workers who are making them.”
“Its profits are up 37% to an astronomical £1.85 billion. Offering workers a real terms pay cut when business is booming is nothing short of corporate greed. The workforce are rightly furious at the company’s profiteering.”
“The workers at Wakefield have Unite’s total support.”
CCEP’s products include; Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Dr Pepper, Fanta, Fanta Lemon, Fanta Fruit Twist, Sprite, Monster and Relentless.
The plant, which can produce 360,000 cans per hour, and 132,000 bottles per hour, also produces Schweppes: Tonic, Diet Tonic, Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale and Lemonade.
Nearly a year on from the summer of strikes, not much has changed, with employees across several sectors taking part in industrial action.
Airport workers across security, terminal and search areas at Edinburgh Airport have voted to take action in a dispute over pay.
Unite balloted around 275 staff, with 85% backing strike action, and has now called for chiefs to return with an improved pay offer to avert disruption over the busy summer period.
Rail strikes will also go ahead next week, causing disruption for fans travelling to Wembley for the FA Cup between Manchester United and Manchester City.
Members of the drivers’ union Aslef will walk out on May 31 and June 3, while the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) has called a strike on June 2.