2 Sisters Food Group staff hold Tesco protest in employee rights row

A demonstration was held by workers outside Tesco in West Bromwich's New Square shopping centre after Unite's acting national officer hit out at the management of 2 Sisters Food Group.

The union claimed that in the last two months new management has 'unpicked many years of established and stable industrial relations' at the five Unite-recognised plants across the Midlands.

The company, which employs around 1,500 in the West Midlands, supplies food to major supermarkets including Tesco and has plants in West Bromwich, Wolverhampton and Smethwick.

2 Sisters bosses said all of the allegations made against the firm, including claims that it used covert CCTV and audio recording equipment to spy on workers, were 'untrue' and 'misleading'.

Sulinder Singh, Unite equality officer, said the aim of the protest was to urge Tesco to rethink its relationship with 2 Sisters.

He claimed: "Ninety nine per cent of the staff are migrant labour and they would expect these sort of bad practices in their home countries, it's not the sort of professional relationship anyone would expect from the biggest food company in the UK.

"We're urging Tesco to rethink its relationship with 2 Sisters and show them how their products are produced and what is going on behind closed doors."

He added: "Unite has also protested at the use of covert CCTV and audio recording equipment which was hidden in plug sockets to spy on works at the plants and thereby violating workers' dignity and respect."

Bemused shoppers looked on as the protest took place.

Worker Zane Simscone said: "I'm disappointed with it all, we have to do all of this and protest just to get some respect.

"We're just trying to make things better."

However, 2 Sisters Food Group said it did not understand the purpose of the protest.

A spokesperson for the company said on Friday: "We note the protest planned by Unite members, but do not understand its purpose or what it is trying to achieve.

"The allegations made against the company are untrue, misleading and do not represent the reality of the situation on the ground.

"What is factually correct is that we are undertaking disciplinary proceedings with four union colleagues at two of our West Midlands sites.

"These are going through the normal procedural steps, with three of them under investigation pending further hearings.

"The fourth has attended a disciplinary hearing which did not result in a dismissal. Each case is unconnected.

"As a defining principle, all colleagues going through such processes are treated in an impartial and fair way, regardless of union membership."

The firm did not wish to comment any further following today's protest.

Tesco also did not wish to comment.