A STRIKE at Northern Ireland's largest bread-manufacturing plant will go ahead today after unions rejected an "inadequate" last-ditch pay offer.
Bread shortages are expected from tomorrow after workers at the Hovis site in south Belfast, which supplies more than half of the north's loaves, voted in favour of a strike.
Talks between trade unions and management collapsed yesterday after a 3 per cent pay offer was rejected.
Workers had asked for a 10 per cent pay increase to bring their wages into line with Hovis workers in Britain.
Sean McKeever, regional officer at trade union Unite, said workers had no alternative but to strike.
He said the industrial action will have a significant and immediate impact on bread supplies.
"We understand that in advance of the strike, baking activities at the Belfast site – which produces more than half Northern Ireland’s bread, have already stopped," he said.
"This strike is likely to compound supply difficulties already arising from red tape on bringing bread from Great Britain into Northern Ireland post-Brexit. This strike is likely to lead to bread shortages as early as this weekend.
"There is no excuse for treating their workers in Northern Ireland any differently to those in Great Britain."
He added: "We are calling on them (management) even at this late stage to see sense, avoid this unnecessary dispute and the disruption and inconvenience it will cause consumers in Northern Ireland."
