Kettle Crisps manufacturers try to ban unions

[eoin_k]

There is an interesting article in today's G2 about the manufacturers of Kettle Crisps employing US Union Busters to stop their workforce from organising:

http://business.guardian.co.uk/privateequity/story/0,,2180623,00.html

I have just sent them a message via their website expressing my dissapointment and telling them that if they carry on in this manner I will help organise a boycott.

Their form you can use to do this is:

http://www.kettlefoods.co.uk/site/WebSiteContactUs.do?id=501.54.626.

If I am the only person to send this message it won't have much impact. But it might put some pressure on them if they get the same message a few times.... so feel free to join in or to repost this on any suitable boards.

Cheers

Eoin

 

[CharlieAddict]

but if they're allowed to join the union, it may cause strikes and then we have no kettle chips.

 

[subversplat]

That's OK - just eat Johnathan Crisps while they're striking.

 

[marty21]

read the article, emailed them, it's not a done deal at the moment, and hopefully they will back down

 

[marty21]

someone should start a facebook protest - worked in the case of HSBC changing student bank accounts

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5233937858&ref=mf

 

[baldrick]

have also sent comments to them. i hope the publicity makes them think again.

 

[scumbalina]

They're local folk, I'll send it round to other Norwich folk who might be interested.

 

[lego]

I sent off a complaint.

 

[llantwit]

Yeah, me too. Referred to the 'soon to be launched boycott of their products' - let 'em think we're organised.

 

[marty21]

Yeah, me too. Referred to the 'soon to be launched boycott of their products' - let 'em think we're organised.

i said the same to waitrose who are major buyers of said savoury snack products

facebook protest page, a massive 5 members

 

[editor]

Stroppy email sent!

 

[wiskey]

Yeah, me too. Referred to the 'soon to be launched boycott of their products' - let 'em think we're organised.

lol i told them its underway already with me.

oh and the kettle crisps appreciation group on facebook has a new post asking them to read the article.

 

[chintz]

email sent, facebook group joined

 

[october_lost]

The union is baffled why the company is so determined to block recognition. Miles Hubbard, Unite's eastern region organiser, said: "They are a good company with a decent record so we cannot understand why they are being so aggressive about union activity. We were called in by the workers when they did not receive annualised payments for overtime."

 

[marty21]

email sent, facebook group joined

34 members now

and another protest group as formed

 

[bluestreak]

email sent.

 

[rollinder]

email sent - threatened to join the boycot
(may have to join facebook for the groups)

 

[kyser_soze]

Fuckers haven't replied yet...very least they could do is send acknowledgement emails in reply...

 

[marty21]

56 members

little army forming

 

[marty21]

bumped - 70 members - if you're on facebook please join

 

[marty21]

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2186569,00.html

more coverage in the guardian today, membership of the facebook groups (mentioned in the article) has jumped from around 120, to 220 (2 groups going)

 

[maes]

have joined facebook group, 140 members now, not bad. emailed them too.

 

[chintz]

Anyone had a reply yet?

 

[marty21]

Anyone had a reply yet?

no, emailed them a week or so ago, strangely silent - the result of the ballot is due on Thursday i think

 

[marty21]

the guardian did contact me about the facebook group, and they namecheck me in the article, but my reply arrived too late to go to press.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

what the fuck are this company on

Any company operating fairly and within the law shouldn't fear a union membership drive

wankers

emails sent, Facebook thingy joined, mates IRL and on Facebook informed

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Unite have a facebook presence too if anyone needs it

http://www.uniteworkingstudents.org/facebook.asp

 

[Throbbing Angel]

from their FAQ/Q&A page

Where is my nearest store that sells KETTLE® Chips?


Have a look in our 'Where to Find KETTLE® section to see which stores stock KETTLE® Chips. You'll also be able to find them in good delicatessens and off-licences. If you can't find KETTLE® Chips in a store near you, give our consumer line a call on 0800 blah - perhaps you could phone them up, what with it being free and costing them for the call

 

[eoin_k]

I found the 0800 number doing a quick google search and posted it on the Facebook group.

Does Urban have a policy against posting phone numbers here?

It would be good for people to add it to any other websites that they have been discussing this on.

Tomorrow is the day that the ballot results come out, so it would be good to start thinking about what steps to take next as well.

 

[JTG]

be nice though, it's only some poor sod doing a shit job for shit pay not directly employed by the company concerned on the other end of the phone.