Heinz

[KOOCH]

You are obviously interested in Rugby or you would not be posting on a rugby forum.Some of us are purely making an observation be it right or wrong.If we are wrong then please be kind enough to enlighten us.We have given you the facility to voice your concerns so please do correct us if we are wrong in our observations.Remember that by being a member of a union gives you a voice.This sight also gives us the opportunity to voice our opinions on things other than rugby.Perhaps you will only be happy when Heinz have relocated to another country.Just why are you considering taking industrial action?

[Kittwazzer]

Well said Gaz & Kooch.

And Josie. £300 for 2 nights 36 years ago sort of proves my point.
I rest my case!

[pedro]

Let's get you men straight, stick to rugby that is that oval ball you play with, we are nowhere near the rich people that you are making Heinz workers out to be, and we have a democratic right to express our oppinion legaly in this country,we dont live in south America were trade unionism is frowned upon and good comrades shot in dark and dismal alleyways, if you don't understand the reasons we are doing this don't bother to comment.

wind your neck in d1ckhead. We dont need to understand the reasons to comment on it. If you dont like it well its tough luck. You arent expressing an opinion by threatening to strike you are holding the company to ransom.

[cpwigan]

Let's get you men straight, stick to rugby that is that oval ball you play with, we are nowhere near the rich people that you are making Heinz workers out to be, and we have a democratic right to express our oppinion legaly in this country,we dont live in south America were trade unionism is frowned upon and good comrades shot in dark and dismal alleyways, if you don't understand the reasons we are doing this don't bother to comment.

A tad hypocritical do you not think. You are allowed to do X, Y and Z but we are not allowed to express our opinions. Warped view of democracy.

Heinz workers are well paid, make a very nice living far better than people with comparative skills / education. True / False?

N.B Members of my family have worked at Heinz for generations. Others have worked down the Mines, in the Mills. All long gone. So I think many of us know a little about Heinz.

As already mentioned Heinz was for a very long time a closed shop whereby generations of Wiganers from the same families gained employment making those families quite well off. That monopoly was broken over time and now there are quite a core of militant Liverpudlians employed at the plant.

The strike is supposedly over a pay rise. True / False? I have been told the pay rise is not the real issue rather a bonus.

Sorry but in the present economic climate it is absurd for workers to be risking so much in an industry that could easily be relocated. You only have to walk in the staff shop and see how much product comes from abroad already. Where do Heinz now source their tin from now? China?

I do await a reply

[platt-warrior]

we are over run with polish workers.Sorry.Did I say workers? What I meant to say is that we have a very large Polish contingent.Who know the discrimination rules like a text book.

Kooch my experience of Polish people are a very family orentated hard working people.These persecuted people came to our aid at a time of need,making good pilots.soldiers,and yes pit-men,ask any ex-Wigan pitman.Whilst having some sympathy with the situation at Cannock please dont tar all people with the same brush.

Are you a car salesman?

[bobbyb]

in the 1960s 100 men would start work on a monday night and heinz would be lucky if 10 remained working on friday,this was at STANDISH it was a rubbish job then,i worked next door in the weaving mill for £11 yes eleven pounds for 5 nights,£300 pounds for 2 nights i did not get that for a week down the mines in 1984,any way good luck to all you workers,i can see why we have no STRONG unions now

[KOOCH]

we are over run with polish workers.Sorry.Did I say workers? What I meant to say is that we have a very large Polish contingent.Who know the discrimination rules like a text book.

Kooch my experience of Polish people are a very family orentated hard working people.These persecuted people came to our aid at a time of need,making good pilots.soldiers,and yes pit-men,ask any ex-Wigan pitman.Whilst having some sympathy with the situation at Cannock please dont tar all people with the same brush.

Are you a car salesman?

No platt-warrior I am not a car salesman.Just a hard worker.On the evidence shown by our polish contingent hard work is a dirty word.Please note that I did state that I had not got a problem with anyone willing to work.These are not the hard working polish people I hear and read about.As previously stated by myself earlier.They certainly know enough to tell our supervisor that they will take him to an industrial tribunal if he admonishes them.I am well aware of the sacrifices made by the polish people in the second world war.And they are people who should be commended.However you do not have to work along side a work shy bunch of people.We are constantly told that if we complain we would be considered as being racist.And that give it a few years they will be gone.I have been hearing the same old story for the past three years.And what does the company do when a vacancy arises?It offers the said same job to a polish worker and not an English worker.The argument could be that the job is offered to a polish worker because they are good workers.If that is the case why am I having to valet eight cars a day and they get away with cleaning three possibly four on a good day.Believe me platt-warrior this is in no way a racist rant.I am simply stating a fact.If you worked here I can assure you that you would have your eyes open within a few hours.And believe me I am aware that not all polish people are work shy.I would say that the majority of polish people are good workers.These are the exception to the rule.

[doc]

Maybe if other people were members of strong unions like the Heinz staff we, in the private sector, wouldn't all be worrying about the lack of decent pensions anymore.

The public sector employees should be glad that they still have strong unions to fight their cause.

And before anybody blames Gordon Brown for taxing pension funds think back to how many companies (and staff) took pension payment holidays in the late 80s/early 90s when they had surplusses in their funds due to good stock market conditions.

Final salary funds will never return as big corporations are more interested in their share holders than their workforce. No group of share holders is going to support the re-introduction of final salary scheme if it will impact on their dividends/share values.

[the_cow]

IF Heinz workers are considering going on strike over the previously stated 4% and 3% annual pay rises, they should think themselves lucky.

I got 0% rise this year, and will get 0% next year. When you factor in inflation at 3.2% using the govt's official stats, then effectively my wages are going down.

[brabs007]

Lets get a few things straight £300 for 2 nights work in 1974 ? what a load of rubbish i started at Heinz in 1988 working 4 nights a week and got payed £165 per week this is fact.

Yes once heinz was a good place to work but thats all changed (SOME MORE FACTS)

This strike is not just about a pay rise its about protecting what we have fought for over many years,
But the management that we are dealing with now days are only there to screw us.

The current pay offer is mostly self funding
with the removel of the bonus.
We now pay 2.5% more pension than we did because in the 80s & 90s Heinz to the holiday from paying into the pension scheme.

Managent reward themselves and share holders with big bonuses (upto 18% of there annual wage)
and they are on top money.

We the workers have created that wealth and being the companys main asset we believe we sould be rewarded by a RPI realated pay rise and not one thats self funding.

There are also changes within our bereavement policy and absent procedures which would mean our collegues would lose out financially.