Unite has confirmed a major pay increase for around 400 workers at Brake Brothers in Newhouse, near Motherwell. The offer, which was backed by the workforce, will see warehouse, administrative, hygiene and distribution driver roles receive pay rises of up to 4.85 per cent on the basic hourly rate, equal to an extra 70 pence an hour.
Deal details and backdating
Under the agreement, managers will receive a smaller percentage increase, but a one-off payment brings the overall rise for all workers to an extra £1,638 over the year. The pay package is backdated to April.
This year's deal follows last year's agreement, which delivered increases of up to 9.8 per cent on the basic hourly wage. As a result, take-home pay over two years has risen by more than £3,000.
Union response and mandate
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The Brake Brothers wage deal is a good pay win successfully negotiated for our members. It builds on the successes already made at the company. It’s a deal which was delivered after our members emphatically backed taking industrial action, if they needed to, in order to get the increase they deserved.”
Unite members returned an emphatic mandate in support of strike action by 94 per cent on July 14. The result was not publicly released as negotiations over an enhanced pay offer progressed with Brake Brothers.
About Brake Brothers
Brake Brothers provides wholesale food distribution services from the Newhouse facility to the hospitality and retail sectors. A significant proportion of the company’s work comes from government-based contracts to Scottish prisons, schools and social care homes.
Unite industrial officer Andrew Brown added: “Unite is delighted to have significantly lifted the wages of hundreds of workers at Brake Brothers. The latest win for Unite at the company means that take home pay has risen by thousands of pounds over the last two years. It’s a deal which got the overwhelming support of our members.”
