Employee representatives at consumer goods giant Unilever are sounding alarms about a potential merger with McCormick & Company, expressing fears that the massive deal could trigger significant job losses across Europe.
The proposed combination would merge Unilever’s food division with the American spice manufacturer, creating a $60 billion food conglomerate. Such a deal would bring together popular brands like Hellmann’s mayonnaise with McCormick’s Cholula hot sauce under one corporate umbrella.
The Unilever European Works Council, which speaks for nearly 20,000 workers across Europe and Britain, expressed deep concerns about the transaction’s impact on employment.
“We fear that a possible transaction could be accompanied by further personnel measures,” the council stated. “Uncertainty among the workforce is high.”
This worker resistance presents another obstacle for Unilever and its Chief Executive Fernando Fernández, who is spearheading a comprehensive restructuring of the British company. His strategy focuses on streamlining operations, reducing expenses, and concentrating more heavily on health and beauty products.
The employee council indicated it would collaborate with affiliated trade unions to determine appropriate responses if Unilever fails to “find good solutions for affected employees.”
“It could lead from negotiations to maybe strikes in different countries where that is possible. It depends on the legislation around Europe,” representatives explained.
Unilever declined to provide a response when contacted for comment about the workers’ concerns.
The company currently employs approximately 4,800 people in its European and British food operations, representing about one-third of its total regional workforce.
