From today, members of UK trade union Unite working as drivers for XPO Logistics Drinks Ltd shall vote whether to go on a strike to achieve a higher pay rise than offered. As these workers are responsible for 40% of beer deliveries across the UK, the union claims Britain may face a “beer drought” if the drivers decide in favour of industrial action.
There are approximately 1,000 drivers and warehouse workers employed by XPO Logistics Drinks Ltd, based at 26 sites who will be called today to elicit a secret vote on a strike over the company’s offer of 1.4 per cent pay rise for 2021. Unite says this offer is well below the current RPI inflation rate of 3.9%.
The union also adds that the low pay rise is only part of the problem. Workers feel left behind because they lost between £8,000 and £10,000 over the last year due to furlough and a lack of overtime. This financial loss, coupled with no pay increase for 2020, makes the situation especially painful.
Separately from the pay issue, Unite has lodged a complaint that the bosses are cutting all Covid-secure cleaning processes for the drivers, which the union said was “the height of irresponsibility as Covid cases were rocketing alarmingly.”
“We call upon the company to engage in meaningful negotiations regarding a decent pay increase for our members” – said Unite national officer for the drinks industry Joe Clarke.
The ballot closes on Monday 9 August.
Photo credit @ Pxhere
