Strike action by Unite members at medicine packaging firm Amcor’s Cramlington, Northumberland plant has intensified.

Workers have already walked out earlier this month in a dispute around pay. Originally, staff were initially taking action on Mondays but from 8 June they will strike on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays until 7 April 2027. 

They have turned down a pay offer from their employer as they believe this does not go far enough to address years of low pay and the impact of the ongoing cost of living crisis. 

Amcor Flexibles is very profitable – a wholly owned subsidiary of Amcor Plc, a worldwide packaging company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland – latest figures showed it had a turnover of £98 million.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Amcor is a very wealthy company and can fully afford to give our members a better pay offer, but instead it is prioritising its own greed. Its workers deserve better and Unite will continue to back them in their fight for fair pay.”

The staff involved in the dispute make packaging for several major pharmaceutical companies in the UK and worldwide, which include GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca and AbbVie.

Unite regional officer Craig Patterson said: “Our members at Amcor have been left with no choice but to escalate strike action, to make their voices heard.

“Amcor could end this action, which risks product delays and also will harm relationships with its clients, but that relies on the company changing tack and returning to negotiations with an improved pay offer.”

ENDS

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Email: natasha.wynarczyk@unitetheunion.org