Tetley tea’s owner has launched legal action against striking factory workers who allegedly trespassed during a pay dispute.
Tata Consumer Products, which has owned Tetley for the past two decades, has applied for a trespass injunction after some striking workers allegedly went on to its Teesside production site in County Durham and started “intimidating” managers.
A rule requiring strikers to stay away from the factory was broken during the industrial action – the first in Tetley’s history – and resulted in “unacceptable” behaviour, according to one source.
The Teesside factory is Tetley’s largest production facility in the world and makes 30pc of all the tea consumed in the UK.
Almost 150 GMB Union members walked out last month after claiming that they have suffered years of real term pay cuts. The GMB, which warned the strikes could lead to tea shortages, is planning more industrial action later this week.
A hearing on whether the trespass injunction can be granted will take place on Wednesday.
A spokesman for Tata said that strike action must be “peaceful and lawful” with pickets “sited at the agreed locations away from Tata Consumer Products land and premises”.
“Striking guidelines are communicated clearly and striking employees are aware that they are not permitted access to the premises which includes the car park, canteen and toilet facilities on strike days. Any breach of this is considered an act of trespass”.
Tetley tea is one of Britain’s most famous brands having been formed in 1837 by the Tetley brothers in Yorkshire. It is today best known for its cartoon advertising campaign featuring the Tetley Tea Folk characters, Gaffer and Sydney.
Paul Clark, a GMB organiser, warned last month that Britons faced a “shortage of the UK’s favourite cup of tea this autumn” unless bosses agreed to a pay deal at the factory.
Sales of Tetley tea bags grew 250pc the following week as customers panicked about a shortage, according to recent reports.
Tetley narrowly avoided a tea shortage crisis last summer after workers in the GMB accepted a new pay deal that called off planned strike action for 200 workers at the Teesside factory.
At the time, Mr Clark argued that GMB members were “being intimidated by management not to go on strike – they are trying to bully workers rather than listen to their concerns”.
Tata has previously said that it was disappointed by the workers’ decision to strike and has tabled two pay offers. It said “contingency plans” had been put in place to ensure “minimum disruption to supply”.
The group added that although it is committed to its UK manufacturing base it must “remain competitive to support the best interests of the factory and our aspirations to grow our tea presence in the UK and overseas”.
Paul Clark, GMB organiser, said: “This injunction is yet another attempt by bosses to intimate workers.
“Instead of dealing with the issue of poverty pay, they’re wasting cash on trumped up claims. GMB members were exercising their legal right to strike and no action was taken by police.”
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