Pizza Hut, KFC and Burger King face Christmas food shortage due to strike action

Fast food giants including Pizza Hut, KFC and Burger King could face food shortages this Christmas as GMB workers prepare for strike action.

Hundreds of workers at Bestfood, a company who deliver fresh ingredients to restaurants, announced they would be taking part in a ballot for industrial action.

The announcement came after the workers rejected the company’s latest pay offer of 6%.

A total of 93% of members rejected the offer, with 85% indicating they wanted to be balloted formally for industrial action.

Other restaurants that could be affected by the strike action include Pizza Express, Zizzi, and Wagamama.

Official dates for the ballot will be announced in the coming days.

Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer, said that if the company doesn’t meet the union’s request that clients “may be left short this Christmas”.

She said: “These workers bust a gut to deliver fresh, just in time food to some of the biggest names in the business.

“Bestfood’s parent companies Booker and Tesco are making incredibly healthy profits and paying large dividends, while leaving these workers crushed by cost of living.

“Now some of their biggest clients may well be left short this Christmas because they won’t meet GMB’s reasonable request for a pay deal that protects our members through this year and into next with a genuine cost of living increase.”