Staff members at bedmaker Airsprung Group, based in Trowbridge, staged a protest against the company's alleged remuneration and employment practices with GMB Union outside Sainsbury's in Melksham last Friday (20th June), reports the Wiltshire Times.
The protesters allege that the group has made changes to its employee T&Cs in order to avoid keeping up with the higher National Living Wage, while "trying to de-recognise the union and its members".
Airsprung Group states: "For operational reasons the company has decided to de-organise the GMB."
The Sainsbury's store contains an Argos outlet – an Airsprung product stockist.
Andy Newman, GMB branch secretary, told the Wiltshire Times: “Argos is selling beds from the Airsprung Group, which has unethically forced through a wheeze which evades paying the rise in the National Living Wage.
"GMB has been given the runaround in negotiations, where the management's offer kept changing, and questions from GMB went unanswered. We think there are serious failings in Airsprung's sick pay policy, and we had an enormous job getting them to pay holidays properly. They have now refused future talks with GMB.
"GMB understands that Airsprung is operating in a difficult business environment and wants the business to succeed. But that cannot be at the expense of treating their workers with dignity, respect and fair pay."
A spokesperson for the protesters told Furniture News: "We want our voices to be heard and for our shocking treatment to be revealed in the public domain."
