A strike involving meat inspectors, official veterinarians and support staff employed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been called for Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
According to the trade union UNISON, two four-hour walkouts are scheduled to take place from 6:30-10:30 on Tuesday, August 26, and again at the same time on Wednesday, August 27, affecting production and processing plants in England, Wales and Scotland. The strike follows a ballot earlier this month that saw the union’s FSA members vote for action over a reported imposed pay offer of 0.75%.
UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “It is not too late for the FSA to avoid the prospect of a strike that may well clear supermarket shelves and butchers’ shops of meat in the barbecue season.”
The union reported that it is seeking an “above inflation pay increase that would begin to make up some of the 15% that has been lost from the pay packets of FSA staff under the coalition government”.Â
UNISON said it represents more than 500 meat inspectors, official veterinarians and support staff employed by the (FSA) in England, Wales and Scotland.