Heinz

[ancientnloyal]

why are they striking? I'd love discount tickets for any wigan match!

[KOOCH]

I work for a very large car supermarket here in Cannock Gaz and 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.We have been over run here.We are out numbered by a bunch of lazy good for nothing lay- abouts.And please do not class me as being Zenophobic.Because I simply am not in any shape manner or form.I am all for the freedom to work within the European Union and do not have a problem with any one who is willing to work.We as a work force are required to valet eight cars per shift.That rule only seems to apply to the English fraternity as they can get away with doing no more than three cars per shift.If we complain and we do complain.We are told that we are being racist and to stop complaining.From someone who had an open mind about the eastern block people working amongst us.I can assure you that it is not scare mongering when I say beware the eastern block amongst us.We have not had a pay rise in the past four years.And why is that?Ask our polish contingent.They come over as couples and are quite happy sending money back home.Our company sells cars by the hundreds each week and the turn over is increasing year on year but still no pay rise.Thats why they continue to employ more polish people ever time a vacancy arises.Never English people being employed anymore.End of rant.

[Kittwazzer]

Well I have lived in Kitt Green all my life. I was even there at the bottom of Eccles Road waving my little Union Flag the day the Queen Mother turned up for the official opening. Over the years, I have seen many people rejoicing when they got a job there. Nepotism is very prominent; if your dad worked there, you had a major advantage. About twenty years ago, about 60 jobs were advertised and the queue stretched half way down Prescott Lane. I have known skilled tradesmen who have given up on their trade to work shifts on the production line.
And in all those years, I can't think of one single person who has handed in his notice to go and work for a different employer.
They don't know their born!

[cpwigan]

Gaz it was a former Union official at the plan now retired that came out in the press saying that he believed any strike action could damage the future viability of the plant and cause the company to move production back to Mainland Europe. I agree with that view. Unite are backing the action.

Heinz view is they have made an offer which in real terms = 4% increase in year 1 3% in year 2. Pay rises in the last 3 years have been market rates for the last 3 years.

As the Wiganers posting here are saying Heinz workers do not known they are born. Easy job, fantastic pay relative to skills / qualifications required, lots of benefits / added extras. To put all that at risk for future generations is barmy IMO.

[mickh]

GP/Kooch, What you are saying is very true, be afraid, be very afraid, wages will not go up with inflation or otherwise when someone (usually foreign) is prepared to do the work for a penny cheaper.
I am not racist, but the values you or your families have strove to build up are being eroded away by the influx of cheap labour and management who are after enhanced personal bonuses and an unsettled workforce.
2nd rate Britain is just around the corner.
I'm getting depressed now
Power to the people!

[Sutty]

A few years ago Ingersoll Rand was also a very large employer within the borough, with two pretty big engineering production plants in Hindley Green. During the course of a few years, both of these plants were closed down and almost every single employee was made redundant.
Why? Because they (Rands) wanted to move the production to the Czech Republic, because labour was so cheap over there and they thought they could save the company a lot of money.
I have just heard that Rands are now bringing production back to the UK. The reason for this is because the quality of the manufacturing in the Czech Republic was so poor that it was costing the company a fortune in rectification bills and loss of orders.
I'm all for equality, but not at the cost of skilled workers who are proud of what they do and they do it to the best of their abilities.
I'm not sure what point I was trying to make, just thought I would add that story, based on a couple of the posts

[josie andrews]

Well I have lived in Kitt Green all my life. I was even there at the bottom of Eccles Road waving my little Union Flag the day the Queen Mother turned up for the official opening. Over the years, I have seen many people rejoicing when they got a job there. Nepotism is very prominent; if your dad worked there, you had a major advantage. About twenty years ago, about 60 jobs were advertised and the queue stretched half way down Prescott Lane. I have known skilled tradesmen who have given up on their trade to work shifts on the production line.
And in all those years, I can't think of one single person who has handed in his notice to go and work for a different employer.
They don't know their born!

Stu, my husband got a job there on nights. He did two nights & he packed it in because they were doing practically nothing all night only play cards in the break areas. He was someone who needed to be busy at work not idling around.

He got about £300 for two nights that also included some holiday pay, shift allowance etc. That was in 1974!!!!

[Only One Left]

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.

[ancientnloyal]

What is your reason for striking? I assume you work for Heinz.

[gpartin]

we have a democratic right to express our oppinion legaly in this country....if you don't understand the reasons we are doing this don't bother to comment.

Make your mind up fella we've either got free speech or not. Are Heinz the only people with a right to express your opinion legally because that seems to be what you're saying.

If you'd read the comments you'll see that, including mine, there are some comments defending your right as well as some against it. This is a forum where people can freely express their opinions in the free democratic country we live in which YOU describe. Within this site there are different sections, some are about rugby and this particular section is where we discuss things which aren't about rugby. The fact that we are rugby fans does not stop us from having an opinion and a right to an opinion just as you have.

So, rather than picking certain posts and thinking everyone is having a go, why not explain the reasons so those who don't support you may get a better understanding of the issues and now you're a member on this site use it as a chance to put your point across to your critics. THAT is what democratic free speech and the union movement is all about comrade, not demanding the right to a view whilst suppressing everyone elses. I for one am genuinely interested in your side of the story but people won't understand all the facts if people like yourself choose to insult people who have an opinion different to yours rather than explain it to them.