Cramlington medical packaging staff to strike in pay dispute causing delays
Workers at a Cramlington medical packaging supplies company will strike in a dispute about pay.
Around 30 workers at Amcor's plant in Nelson Park Industrial Estate will walk out each Monday for 11 months, causing delays to medical packaging supplies.
The Unite members, who make packaging for several major pharmaceutical companies in the UK and worldwide, have turned down a pay rise of 4.1 per cent as they believe this does not address the cost of living crisis and previous years of low pay offers.
The strikes will take place every Monday from May 18 until April 6 2027 with the potential for further escalation. When there is a bank holiday, the strike action will take place on a Tuesday instead.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Amcor can more than afford to come back to the table with a better offer for its hardworking and specialist workers.
"Instead, it is putting profits over people. Unite will not stand for it and we will back our members throughout this dispute."
The Cramlington site prints pharmaceutical packaging for a wide range of customers, including GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca and AbbVie. Strike action will lead to delays to deliveries, as well as reputational damage, if Amcor is unable to fulfil orders.
Amcor Flexibles is a wholly owned subsidiary of Amcor Plc, a worldwide packaging company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Its latest published accounts, for the year ended June 30 showed it had a turnover of £98 million.
Unite regional officer Craig Patterson said: "Industrial action will be very disruptive to Amcor's operations. However, it is the company's fault for refusing to budge on its initial offer, which is not acceptable to our members.
"There is still a chance to prevent strike action, but that relies on Amcor coming back to negotiations with a new pay deal.”
A spokesperson from Amcor commented: "We have received notification of potential industrial action at our Amcor Flexibles site in Cramlington, UK. We remain committed to engage in constructive dialogue with trade union representatives to seek a positive solution.
"The safety and wellbeing of our employees remains our top priority.”