STRIKE action at Hovis bakery in Belfast is set to begin this Sunday as union members demand a cost-of-living pay increase.
Members of the Unite union voted by over 95 per cent for a strike, with workers set to take to picket lines at the south Belfast site from 6am.
The union has said Hovis enjoyed "bumper sales" during the Covid pandemic while staff continue to "struggle" with income, and warned bread supplies across the north will be affected if the industrial action goes ahead.
Unite and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union members held an 11-day strike over pay at the bakery in May 2021 when discussions with management broke down.
That ended when 79 per cent of members voted to accept a four pe rcent increase per year for two years.
The firm, which owns the iconic Ormo bread brand, has been told it can still avoid the strike action by addressing the pay concerns before Sunday.
The union's general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Hovis has enjoyed huge success during the Covid pandemic and in the period following it. The company can well afford to increase the pay of these workers to provide some protection from the surge in inflation.
"Unite has established a £70 million strike fund which we are deploying to back workers in struggle. The workforce in Hovis know that Unite has their back as they seek to win a cost of living increase from their employer."
Unite regional officer Sean McKeever said the 95 percent support among members for a strike should "surely force some reconsideration by management" over the pay dispute.
"It is still not too late for management to address our members’ pay claim and avoid this strike action," he said.
The Irish News contacted Hovis for comment.
