Tesco faces industrial battle on two fronts

Print

Tesco is facing industrial battles with two of Britain’s biggest unions this week as below-inflation pay offers have been rejected by both the Unite and Usdaw trades unions.

Tesco-e1487258806606-1024x560.jpg

Usdaw (Union of Shop and Distributive Workers) members at nine warehouses have already voted 73% and 84% in favour of industrial action, which is now due to start on 20 December.

The distribution centres that Usdaw has balloted include those in Daventry, Goole, Hinckley, Lichfield, Livingston, Magor, Peterborough and Southampton.

The sites where there are Unite members also include Livingston, as well as Doncaster, Didcot, Belfast and Antrim.

A spokesman for Unite said that the disputes were being conducted separately but did share similar issues.

In a statement Unite said: “The strike action is a result of Tesco’s derisory four per cent pay offer which is well below the current retail price index (RPI) inflation rate of six per cent.

“Unite members will walk out on Monday 20 December and will not return before Christmas.”

Both unions said that they are open to negotiations. Joanne McGuinness – Usdaw national officer said:  “Retail distribution workers are key workers who delivered essential services throughout the pandemic, which in turn delivered a 16.5% increase in profit to Tesco for the first half of the year.

“These workers deserve a decent pay rise as their reward for what they have done and continue to do day in day out; couple that with the rising cost of living and inflation currently running at 6%, the company needs to do better.

“Industrial action and possible stock shortages in stores in the week before Christmas can be avoided.

“It needs the company to engage positively in talks with Usdaw and we stand ready to reopen negotiations.”

Tesco said that it felt its pay offer was fair and was one of the highest awards in the distribution business in the last 25 years.