Z852/2/1

Joint Interview with Mr. Batti, Satya Khan and Krishan Chanol and one 8 Feb unidentified lady mostly relating to their experiences working with Forrester Foods Ltd of Bedford. Side A : interviewees describe their jobs, Mr. Batti who works in the bakery, the lady who works in the 'pizza finishing' section, Krishan Chanol who works in the dispatch department, some improvement in wages and conditions in recent years, main market are the supermarket chains, customers include Asda, Gateway, Iceland, and Sainsbury's, analysis of the composition of the work force, the separate production units at Dallas Road and Ford End Road, Bedford, the necessity of overtime for employees to obtain reasonable wages, management's need for low basic wages in order to have a pool of labour to meet fluctuating demand, current management attempts to reduce overtime, changing pattern of employment of unskilled Asians with the decline of the brickworks, no overt racism in the company, Mr. Batti's experience of subtler forms of discrimination when applying for jobs with Pre Star Engineering, Ampthill Road, Bedford, and Smith & Co ( Bedford ) Ltd, Asian youth unemployment and disillusionment. Side B: details include break down of traditional Indian attitudes among the the second and third generations, personal history of immigration, wages and conditions at Forrester Foods at Bedford, trade union activity at the company, ambiguous attitudes of the management to union activities, an ineffective Shop Steward discussed, description of the staffing of the bakery, favouritism by management in the distribution of overtime, parent company Hazelwood Foods need to cross subsidise loss making firms in their group with profits from Forrester Foods, current manipulation of the work force with threats of a plant closure and the sceptical views of this threat expressed by the interviewees. ( Original Ref. SS1 Dunstable College Satya Khan & Krishan Chanol )

8 Feb 1994

From: 1994 To: 1994

item

Batti,
Khan, Satya,
Chanol, Krishan,
Forrester Foods Limited,
Pre Star Engineering,
Smith & Co (Bedford) Limited,
Hazelwood Foods

food and drink industry, bakery, supermarkets, ethnic minorities, tape recordings, Indians, immigration, Bedford Dallas Road, Bedford Ford End Road, Bedford Ampthill Road