The strike ballot opens on August 25 and closes on September 15.
According to GMB, the vote is taking place as drivers are angry over their work life balance, the fact agency workers are paid more than directly employed drivers, annual leave payments that remain outstanding, a failure to offer substantial pay enhancements to stem the tide of drivers leaving the business for better paid jobs elsewhere, and a failure to honour contractual agreements around pay for holiday and sick leave.
In a statement, the union said that weeks of negotiation had failed to bring about a satisfactory outcome.
Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer, described Yodel’s actions as “a truly staggering act of corporate self-sabotage” and added that the firm “should be bending over backwards to make sure they [the lorry drivers] are happy and stay with the business.”
Houghton also labelled Yodel’s behaviour as “ridiculous” and said the company needs “to see sense”:
“GMB has tried for many months to settle this dispute. Time again drivers’ demands have fallen on deaf ears. Our members, who keep Yodel delivering parcels up and down the country, know their worth and they are prepared to stand firm until Yodel meet their reasonable demands. Revenue in Yodel is up, parcel deliveries are up, new customers are coming on board. Yet Yodel want to cause trouble with the very workers that make all of that possible – at a time when they are struggling to keep hold of drivers, let alone being able to recruit new ones. It’s ridiculous behaviour and Yodel needs to see sense before it’s too late.”
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