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Workers strike at Scottish paper bag plant

27 November, 2012Scottish paper bag workers at Smith Anderson told “No holiday” between July and December.

Workers at Smith Anderson, a paper bag plant in Scotland are taking strike action after being told that they have to work for six months, from July to December, without being allowed to take any statutory holiday.

IndustriALL Global Union affiliate Unite, the UK’s largest union which represents the 140 striking staff at Smith Anderson, said that the first 24-hour day strike, taken on 21 November, was well-supported.

“Our members are not unreasonable and recognize the business needs of the company in this competitive economic environment. Unite believes that management could have sorted this out before it reached this stage.” Said Unite regional officer, Margaret Lawson.

Employees of the plant had two days statutory holiday in October taken away from them without consultation. The workers will now take strike action every Wednesday until the end of January in response to the company’s unreasonable behaviour.