Workers at the Quinn Glass filling plant at Elton in Cheshire have voted 97.5 per cent in favour of Unite recognition. The turnout was 80 per cent.

Unite, the country’s largest union, now has recognition for the whole of the Quinn Glass manufacturing, distribution, and bottling complex at Elton. This follows an earlier vote of 98.7 per cent in favour of Unite recognition in the glass production facility. Unite now represents around 500 members at the factory in Cheshire, which manufactures glass containers for the food and beverages industries.

This is a significant win for the union following a long recognition campaign at the Elton-based factory in Cheshire.

Unite regional officer Graham Daley said: “Many Quinn Glass employees have friends or relatives who work at the Unite organised workplaces surrounding Quinn Glass – GrowHow, Essar, Shell and EOS (Electrical Oil Services). Those workplaces have become safer and more productive since union recognition, and that has enabled Unite to negotiate good terms and conditions of employment.

“Our workplace representatives work constructively with management to improve efficiency and create the right environment for success. Everyday Unite workplace representatives are helping avoid accidents and providing support for colleagues who need help with their problems at work.

“The legal process to achieve union recognition is complex, but in the end workers are able to choose to have a powerful collective voice at work. This vote shows that workers can see the benefits of belonging to Unite and the need to have a union recognised at their workplace.”