Union say talks with Rowan Foods have ‘broken down’

Unite the Union say talks between them and Rowan foods regarding health and safety issues and the payment of staff self-isolating due to the Covid19 outbreak on site, have broken down.

Unite has been seeking assurances around improved health and safety measures on site to prevent further outbreaks of coronavirus amongst the workforce. It has also been seeking full pay for staff who are being required to self-isolate though Covid19.

Dave Griffiths Unite Regional Officer said, “Unite is extremely disappointed by the manner in which Rowan Foods have conducted themselves during discussions with us, both during and prior to the Covid19 outbreak at the plant.”

“Our members employed by Rowan are extremely concerned that the company has not taken the health and safety concerns that Unite has been raising since early June, with the urgent attention that they demand. Workers who are frightened for their own, and their family’s safety, must be reassured that no stone is being left unturned in the efforts to further protect them from contacting Covid19 whilst at work.”

“Rowan Foods should immediately introduce full pay for workers who are off work due to either having Covi19 or self-isolating after being contacted through Welsh Governments Test, Trace and Protect system. For workers already suffering from low pay it is morally bankrupt to then ask them, through no fault of their own, to self-isolate and survive on SSP. The simple fact is that some workers will continue to come to work and ignore the guidance if they are suffering financial detriment.”

“Protecting workers and the general public cannot be done on the cheap. Rowan Foods, who are an extremely profitable company, supplying some of the biggest names in the UK food industry have to step up to the plate. They have to put the appropriate health and safety measures alongside adequate financial support for the workforce, if they are to get themselves out of the current crisis that has enveloped them”.

Last night we put the statement to Oscar Mayer, owners of Rowan Foods, and asked for comment on the health and safety concerns raised and asked if full pay will be introduced.

This morning Oscar Mayer said,

“The safety of our colleagues remains our priority and our focus is on remaining COVID-19 secure as a site; we continue to follow government guidelines at all times for our own safety and the safety of our colleagues.

We have been proactively introducing new operational changes at the site for some months now, since the issuing of Government guidance for the food industry In March 2020, to ensure that we maintain social distancing wherever practically possible, and have also included new mitigations such as screens and visors.

In addition, at the same time we implemented a behavioural safety system and Social Distancing Champions throughout the factory to ensure colleagues are socially distancing. All of these changes were made in conjunction with advice by the regional Environmental Health Officer and our onsite Health & Safety teams. These measures have limited the impact on our teams. We continue to work with public health authorities.

In line with Government guidance we are paying staff who are off work due to COVID-19 Statutory Sick Pay from the first day of absence.“

Last week prior to the incident being declared an outbreak the First Minister said he had discussed local issues with the union, and appeared satisfied with what he had been told.

The Health Minister this week said “Earlier this week, I met unions representing the workforce at the two North Wales plants and agreed a set of wider actions, focusing on workforce wellbeing. A meeting will be held later this week with the sector, unions and employers to discuss worker benefits.
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