Bargaining unit dispute hits GMB deal

The GMB general union has accused banana distributor Pratt’s Bananas of dragging its feet on collective bargaining for workers at its Luton site.

The union, which has 250 members at the firm, says it was promised full negotiating rights if it could demonstrate that it had the workforce’s support. It has proposed that an independent third party be called in to verify that the majority of shop-floor workers are members, but Pratt’s has not taken this offer up.

The two sides have disagreed over who should be included in this calculation: the GMB wants a bargaining unit specifically for shop-floor workers, with a separate unit for management, supervisory and administrative staff if those workers demand it – but Pratt’s wants to lump the two groups together, diluting the level of union membership.

“We are at an unnecessary impasse” said organiser Alan Costello. “The GMB will now step up our campaign to win trade union rights for this group of mainly migrant workers.”