Union blasts HelloFresh’s mass dismissal of workers who opposed poor conditions at Midlands warehouse

Community Union have described HelloFresh’s decision to immediately dismiss 79 workers at their Nuneaton warehouse as ‘disgraceful’. The union claims workers were sacked after raising concerns over working condition, including allegedly not being able to go to the toilet during their shift at the St George’s Way-based hub. Gavin Miller, Regional Secretary for the Midlands at Community Union, said:

“HelloFresh’s mass dismissal of workers who had spoken out against the dire working conditions on site is an outrage and a disgrace.

HelloFresh market themselves as a consumer-friendly, forward-looking business, yet this is a company with an antiquated and draconian approach to its workforce – preventing workers from taking toilet breaks and dismissing them without following any sort of fair procedure in the process.

The reputational damage these mass dismissals will cause to the company’s public image pales into insignificance against the damage to the livelihoods and wellbeing of the staff affected – many of whom are still understandably stunned at what has transpired. HelloFresh boast in their advertising campaigns that they are all about ‘saving stress’. That clearly doesn’t apply to the stress they are causing to the loyal workforce who now have no income and have not been listened to by their employer.

We are clear that we will not allow our members on site to be treated this way, and we will be doing everything we can to support the workforce and protest against the company’s shameful course of action.

Coming in the week that the Labour Government brings forward legislation to put the transformative New Deal for Working People into the statute book, the situation at HelloFresh demonstrates exactly why we need to empower working people and better protect them against the irresponsible behaviour of unscrupulous employers.”