The union accused Mowi of contributing to poor working conditions, and treating employees “worse than fish”, The Courier reported yesterday (24 June). The BFAWU's most recent claims are part of an ongoing situation springing from early 2023, when the union first reported that it had begun a campaign to recruit food workers in Rosyth.
In a statement seen by HR magazine, the BFAWU alleged this month that “Mowi often fails to follow health and safety advice... has an unelected health and safety committee... and does not proactively drive improvements”.
A representative of Mowi gave a detailed response to The Courier, announcing that the BFAWU’s claims were “false and misleading”, and refuting each of the BFAWU's claims. A Mowi representative has also spoken directly to HR magazine.
Instances in which unions go public with their criticism can put HR professionals on the back foot, explained Natasha Johnson, director of HR consultancy Organic P&O Solutions.
Johnson told HR magazine: “When trade unions take such a strong stance in public, it doesn’t always bring about the best results for workers, as it puts business leaders and their HR teams on the back foot. If HR is involved earlier in the process, it can work with the unions to make sure that the voices of employees are heard and actioned by business leaders.”
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As well as alleged seven-minute toilet breaks, the union listed concerns including a lack of seating for shift workers, managerial discretion being applied to sickness absence policy, and potentially inappropriate manual handling practices.
Mowi’s representative stated: “At Mowi we take ethical employment, including the safety and wellbeing of our workforce, extremely seriously... There is no truth at all in the allegation that [toilet breaks] are timed or limited to seven minutes... Our compliance and practices are under constant review, checked internally and through regular independent external third-party audits. We have robust safety management practices in place.”
Directly addressing the union’s concerns is a grown-up response, suggested James Harrison, director of the Institute of Employment Rights (IER). Speaking to HR magazine, Harrison said: “Democracy doesn’t stop at the gates to the workplace. Going into collective bargaining with democratically elected union representatives shows a grown-up employer takes workers concerns seriously, and is willing to work in partnership to achieve it without relying on coercive power. Health and safety is a great place to start these discussions, as no reasonable person wants workers to be made ill through work.”
On the subject of unions, Mowi’s representative told The Courier’s reporter: “Mowi is supportive of our colleagues’ rights to join a union and to seek collective representation, should they wish.” They added: “We continue to listen to feedback from our employees and take our lead from them. In the meantime, we will focus on our absolute commitment to creating and sustaining the best possible working environment for all our employees.”
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The BFAWU stated: “[Our] report, based on testimony of workers and union officials who represent employees at Mowi, refutes the many announcements made by Mowi in their annual reports about how much they value the human rights of their workers.”
When employers face similar situations to Mowi’s, HR professionals must approach the unionised employees concerned, advised Johnson. She said: “HR teams [should] do their best to talk to those affected, [and] investigate the facts fully, before reporting back to staff on what action will be taken.
“HR could also look into whether employees feel confident reporting issues to management. If staff are turning to trade unions to be heard, it may show that they don’t trust the company’s own reporting structures.
“Working with trade unions doesn’t have to result in conflict. HR can use the opportunity to create better practices, increase staff engagement and build a stronger workplace culture.”
Harrison agreed; he added: “Recognising and negotiating with a trade union can be an uncomfortable process for employers, but it’s proven that unionised workplaces are safer than non-unionised workplaces. Better health and safety means lower sickness rates, and lower likelihood of expensive court claims.”
