Unite creates 'a song and dance' over workers rights at M&S AGM

12 July 2011

Where: Royal Festival Hall, London Southbank
When: Wednesday July 13, from 1-2pm

Unite will be creating a 'song and dance' at the M&S AGM in a musical protest at low pay and insecure labour at one of its suppliers Thanet Earth.

Union activists will reprise their song and dance number seen recently in flashmobs across M&S stores (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd5s2_4CU4Q). They will also be spelling out their opposition to exploitation in giant letters made of tomatoes.

Unite has been taking up complaints from the workforce, who pick and pack tomatoes and other salad and fruits, over alleged irregular labour conditions. The alleged offences include hostility to union organisation, bullying, taking bribes by agency supervisors and managers, and denial of holiday entitlement and pay.

Recently dismissed union member, Vanda Sefer, will be available to speak to shareholders and members of the media to tell her story about her employment at Thanet Earth based in Kent.

Unite regional industrial officer, Dave Weeks, said: "We want to highlight the rotten working conditions at Thanet Earth. Most workers have no direct contract of employment and can be hired and fired at will. This is a major supplier to M&S which claims to be an ethical retailer. It is time for the supermarket to insist that Thanet Earth cleans up its act.

"The action comes at the same time that the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) is expected to report on a catalogue of allegations submitted by Unite the union on behalf of Thanet Earth workers."

"We want to tell M&S to take its commitments seriously and to use its financial muscle to get Thanet Earth to sit down in a room with Unite and M&S and resolve these serious complaints."

This protest comes as the GLA issues its report into Thanet Earth. The GLA has already commented in the press that it supports Unite's claims of breaches of legal guidelines at Thanet Earth.

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