About

The Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) is the largest independent Trade Union in the food sector in the British Isles. First established in 1847, we have over 175 years of experience in representing employees in the food sector, from production at factories through to sales at shops.

Our belief is that employees should feel secure and safe in their workplace and should be paid an equitable wage for the work that they do. We further believe that, by working together, workers have much greater ability to achieve better pay and conditions and to address injustices.

We are here to support our members if they should feel vulnerable; threatened; discriminated against; or generally persecuted in any way. We are also here to assist in obtaining compensation and justice for those who have been mistreated at work, or, indeed, may have been injured as a result of their employer’s negligence.

We are run by our members for our members, with a fully elected governing body who are answerable to our membership. 

We know that the UK food industry is under endless attack. The government’s abject failure to deal positively with Brexit and negotiate sensibly with the European Union is leading many businesses to re-locate their work abroad. Knock-on effects also include the rising cost of butter and other ingredients that food manufacturers need for their products, with food workers likely to have those rising costs passed onto them. The price of shopping and food is also on the rise, which will have a profound effect on those working in the food industry, especially those on zero-hours contracts or earning minimum wage. One of our major concerns going back a number of years now, is government’s failure to address issues surrounding supermarkets. The endless competition among the major players continues to squeeze suppliers’ prices, many of whom are forced to produce ‘loss-leaders’ in order to keep the contracts. There needs to be stiffer regulation on supermarkets.