Coca-Cola workers vote to strike

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Supplies of Coca-Cola could be hit after workers at a large bottling plant in West Yorkshire voted to strike.

The union Unite said 82% of staff voted 24-hour stoppages in Wakefield, where up to 6,000 cans and 1,650 bottles of soft drinks are produced every minute.

It warned the pay dispute would affect supplies of Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, Oasis and other brands produced by the firm.

The company said it was disappointed with the workers' decision but had "robust contingency plans" in place.

Unite said the 500-plus workers at the plant were originally offered a pay increase of 2.5%, which was "not good enough".

The union said it was furious that management proposed to improve the offer by asking workers to sacrifice overtime rates and bonuses.

Negotiations continuing

The action could have a "devastating effect on supplies" of soft drinks, affecting shops, supermarkets, vending machines, pubs and hotels across the UK, Unite said.

Unite regional officer Kelvin Mawer said the union was continuing to negotiate with management to resolve the dispute and avoid industrial action.

A spokesman for Coca-Cola Enterprises said: "We are disappointed that our employees have chosen to move towards industrial action.

"It is premature to speculate on the outcome of this development, however we remain confident that through continued dialogue, we can reach a settlement.

"Our customers can be reassured that, in the event of any industrial action, we have robust contingency plans in place and our priority will be ensuring they have the supplies they need."