GMB trade union representatives campaign outside Brakes Grantham

A trade union is campaigning to provide support for workers at a Grantham food supplier.

Representatives from the GMB trade union were outside Brakes Foodservice at Gonerby Moor, handing out material to workers to raise awareness of the union, which has over 500,000 members nationwide across a range of sectors.

This took place on Thursday and Friday and was “quite successful”, according to Archie Hine, 19, one of the workers at Brakes who is involved in the campaign.

Archie, who has worked at Brakes for two years, said: “The reaction from the staff members was positive. I have a lot of people inside saying they would be more than happy to join the union and they already have.

“There never has been [a recognised union at Brakes Grantham]. I’ve tried to change that and it’s gone very well so far.

“GMB has been really helpful. They can’t come into the building because they need recognition for that, so what they’ve had to do is stand out on public property and dish stuff out at the gate.

“The main thing was the working conditions and the pay is so poor compared to other places, specifically when looking at other Brakes depots, across the country that are unionised. It seems ridiculously unfair.”

Archie has also received support from the Labour party in Grantham and hopes that GMB can be officially recognised by Brakes, which is possible if a certain proportion of the workforce are members.

David Shamma, GMB regional organiser in South Lincolnshire, said: “In the past we have had a handful of members on this site. I’ve been there to represent individuals.”

However, David said that things have “moved on over the last couple of months” after he was approached by a handful of workers at Brakes, including Archie, who are dissatisfied with the working conditions.

David explained that there were “a load of problems in the workplace”, including issues over pay and mandatory overtime which can be demanded at “a moment’s notice”.

A Brakes spokesperson said: “We already have in place a well-established Employee Communication Forum that provides an effective route for our colleagues to consult/communicate with our business about collective issues, but if colleagues also want to be a member of a union, then that's something they are welcome to do.”