Flahavan’s: Strikes off as management backs down on flexibility agreement

Posted on August 23, 2026 by unitetheunion

Unite win shows importance of organising in a union

Unite, which represents workers at Flahavan’s in Kilmacthomas, Co Waterford, today (Sunday) welcomed the company’s decision to decouple a pay deal from a flexibility policy which had not been agreed with the union.

Flahavan’s decision follows a unanimous vote for strike action by Unite members.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This win is because our members stood together and were prepared to take strike action. Once again it’s clear the best way for workers to defend their terms and conditions is to be organised in a strong union.”

Unite members will now ballot on the proposed pay deal, following which the parties will engage on all other matters.

Regional officer Eoin Drummey said: “Flahavan’s decision to decouple the proposed pay deal from an unagreed flexibility policy vindicates our members’ position.”

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Pilgrim’s: Talks failure sees Enniskillen pay dispute escalate

Posted on August 12, 2026 by unitetheunion

Trade union Unite, which represents workers at the Pilgrim’s site in Enniskillen, has confirmed that workers at the plant will take strike action from Monday 17 August to Saturday 29 August.

Talks at the Labour Relations Agency (LRA) broke down yesterday (Tuesday) after the company failed to improve its pay offer and address unequal pay for breaks.

Workers in Enniskillen are paid little more than the legal minimum, even though Pilgrim’s profits increased by over 21 per cent to £128.4 million in 2024.

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Porridge threat: Flahavan’s workers ballot for strike action

Posted on August 10, 2026 by unitetheunion

Company accused of retrospectively tying pay deal to ‘unseen and unagreed’ policy

Unite, which represents the overwhelming majority of workers at Flahavan’s in Kilmacthomas, said today (Monday) that an extraordinary general meeting of members over the weekend decided unanimously to ballot for industrial action at the plant. Flahavan’s supplies around half of all porridge oats consumed at Irish breakfast tables.

The decision to ballot follows management’s unilateral attempt to tie a new pay deal to a ‘flexibility agreement’ which has been neither seen nor negotiated by Unite.

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Pilgrims Europe employees in Enniskillen will strike for two further weeks in escalating pay dispute

Posted on August 9, 2026 by Unite the union NI

Workforce is seeking a cost of living pay increase and an end to the current unequal payment of breaks

Approximately 130 members of Unite employed by Pilgrims Europe are set to escalate their strike action at the company’s Enniskillen site. The union served notice on the employer of a further two-week strike commencing 6.30am on Monday 17th August after a vote by workers on the picket line last Friday [7th August].

The industrial dispute centres around the failure of the employer to offer an inflation proof pay increase that addresses unequal pay for breaks. Morning shift workers are paid for only 15 minutes breaks while evening and night shift are paid for 30 minutes.

Pilgrims Europe which operates the site declared after tax profits of £128.4 million for the 2024 financial year, a 21.1% increase on the previous year. Meanwhile its workers in Enniskillen are paid little more than the bare legal minimum.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Pilgrims is a very successful company with huge after-tax profits. It can well afford to pay its workers properly but our members in Enniskillen are paid less than colleagues on sites elsewhere in the UK and little above the bare legal minimum. The workers have the full and continuing support of Unite for as long as it takes to win pay justice and respect.” Continue reading →

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NSAI: Unite slams ‘breathtaking cynicism’ of bank holiday closure announcement

Posted on August 2, 2026 by Unite the union NI

Union warns of public sector industrial relations impact and urges government intervention

Trade union Unite, which represents technical staff working for the National Standards Authority of Ireland’s medical devices section, today (Sunday) slammed the NSAI’s announcement that the section is to close.  The decision was communicated to workers by email at 2 minutes to 5pm by the CEO Geraldine Larkin as workers were about to head off for the bank holiday weekend.

Last week Unite members in the NSAI voted overwhelmingly for industrial action following the authority’s decision to seek government sanction for compulsory redundancies contrary to established practice in the public sector.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The NSAI’s decision to announce the forthcoming closure of their medical devices section shortly before 5 pm on a bank holiday weekend smacks of breathtaking cynicism and malice towards workers, especially as the authority is already facing industrial action after proposing compulsory redundancies”. Continue reading →

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