Fears Bucks Fizz could RUN OUT this Christmas due to ‘severe shortage’ of orange juice as chiefs issue warning
FEARS bubble to the surface as Bucks Fizz could run out this Christmas due to a “severe juice shortage.”
The festive favourite might face production issues as juice factory workers in Cardiff strike over pay.
Nearly 200 workers at Newlat are set take industrial action on 17 and 24 December, which could have knock-on-effects for juice-lovers.
The strikes could lead to a nationwide shortage of orange juice, which is a key component of the Christmas cocktail Bucks Fizz.
Members of unite, the factory’s union, are looking to hold on to pay offers which were axed by new owners Newlat.
The original salary agreement were offered by the previous owner Mitsubishi.
This included a four to seven per cent pay rise for line operatives and engineers.
When the company was then bought by Italian manufacturing giant Newlat, which bought Princes Group, they revoked these pay increase.
Newlat suggested a three per cent pay rise but employees are demanding they are paid what they were promised.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Newlat need to get back round the negotiating table before its customers discover they won’t have any products on their shelves.
“Our members work in back-breaking roles on low pay and want a fair slice of the pie.
“Newlat make 20 per cent of all their revenues in the UK and are making money off the backs of these workers.
Graham believes Newlat is trying to short change Unite members.
She added: “Unite won’t stand for such behaviour and will back our members in any dispute.”
The Welsh factory was acquired by Princes in 1993, which has since been bought out by Newlat, employs 250 people.
Newlat is one of Europe’s largest food and drink groups manufacturer, making an estimated profits of around 188 million euros this financial year.
Other workers at Princes Food have also voted for industrial action.
These factories include Long Sutton, Wisbech, Bradford and Glasgow.
Unite national officer for food, drink and agriculture Paul Travers stood with the strikers: “Newlat borrowed huge sums of money to buy Princes and is now looking to cut corners and penny pinch to pay that money back.
“Unite won’t let them do so with our members’ livelihoods.
“Newlat can avoid this strike, which is one of their own making, by coming back to the negotiating table with a new and improved pay deal for our members.”
Why do shops start selling Christmas stock so early?
Charlotte Harrington, the manager at Summerhill’s garden centre in Basildon, Essex, explained: “For many, many years now, we’ve opened our Christmas department on the August bank holiday.
“The stock comes in early and we gradually start putting it out on the shop floor. This is just a small fraction of what we have.
“But our Christmas displays are so spectacular it takes time to get everything set up, so we have to start early.
“It may seem a little odd putting them out now — especially with the hot weather.
“But we have to plan so far in advance.”