Driver and Warehouse Strike

[The Mrs]

Its official. Drivers and warehouse staff from 9 USDAW and Unite sites will be on strike from Monday 20th to Friday 24th December unless Tesco come back with a new and acceptable offer. Despite Tesco saying they have contingency plans in place there WILL be store shortages. Might be an idea to arrange alternative bookings of other supermarkets to shop from if you usually shop online, you can always cancel closer to the date if the strike doesn't  go ahead. Details in link:
https://www.usdaw.org.uk/About-Us/News/2021/Dec/Usdaw-members-at-nine-Tesco-distribution-centres-v

[VladPutin]

I hope both sides hold their nerve. A Christmas without the warehouse so packed full of stock we can barely move? More chance of going home early? Ya dancer!

I mean, obviously it will ruin some customer's Christmas dinners etc. But that is a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

[Hoover]

I would like to see what Tesco's plans are to cope with a strike. Do we know the percentage of union staff to non union staff at distribution ? . I work backdoor at a large Extra and the drivers that come in seem to think this will cripple the whole delivery system at Christmas 

[baldeagle]

Under normal circumstances if one DC goes out, work is transferred in what is known as a ripple effect to other DC,s. with 13 going out that will not work This time. Most staff in distribution are union members.

[Hoover]

My store is in the Midlands and it looks like all local fresh and ambient  D.C. will be out with Doncaster being the first out for 2 days from the 6am on the 16th . My wife has decided to grab a few bits Extra now and freeze it for Christmas dinner . Do we think Tesco will learn anything from this or as usual bury its collective head in the sand and hope the problem goes away for staff at both distribution and store and hope we all are happy and and don't ask for further pay rise ?

[spike_pkh]

I hope tesco don't cave to pressure. A 4% payrise on top on drivers already cushy contracts is much better than stores ever get offered and accept.

If they want a bigger pay rise then Tesco could accept that but bring the depots more in line with store contracts. No deliveries to make, get the drivers cleaning or picking like the staff do in store. Fed up of hearing how the drivers have been sat around for hours being paid to do nothing whilst awaiting deliveries to be picked.

Arrived at a store and there is a queue of lorries in front of you? Park up and go into the store to help tip the deliveries.

Remove the lovely cooked meals in the staff canteens in depots and replace with a sandwhich shop like stores are stuck with.

Having worked in both depots and stores, the depots have it so good and I don't think they realise this.

[VladPutin]

You've done it now, mate! This thread will be flooded with all the DC Heroes telling us how they work 21 hours a day in -50, lifting cages two at a time with their bare hands!

[Nomad]

This topic is about "Driver and Warehouse Strike", not making comparisons between stores and DCs any posts of that ilk may be deleted.

You have been warned.

[VladPutin]

Well if that's your attitude, Nomad, I may as well just head on over to the Dot Com forum and abuse the home shoppers. Again.

Honestly, what happened to you, man? You used to be cool...

[beentheredoneit]

Depots need to be careful.
Ever since the shop staff voted against a pay deal years ago, there has been no vote.

[NightAndDay]

Store andcdepot workers are all u derpaid, they all are what keeps Tesco in business and operating. I fully back the depot workers.

[optout]

I wonder if stores should come out  and support distribution? Afterall distribution have always supported stores fight for better t&cs .

I think that distributions t&cs seem quite good at the moment, after-all any extra pay will have to come from somewhere won't it, and tesco will have to find money to equalize in-store-pay when stores win their legal action.

So, in short, I don't think tesco will be able to afford any extra pay for distribution, hard times don't ya know.

Well, I wouldn't be surprised if some, or all of the above was considered in response from tesco. jus sayin.

[VladPutin]

I wonder if stores should come out  and support distribution? Afterall distribution have always supported stores fight for better t&cs .

I think that distributions t&cs seem quite good at the moment, after-all any extra pay will have to come from somewhere won't it, and tesco will have to find money to equalize in-store-pay when stores win their legal action.

So, in short, I don't think tesco will be able to afford any extra pay for distribution, hard times don't ya know.

Well, I wouldn't be surprised if some, or all of the above was considered in response from tesco. jus sayin.

Different unions in DC's and Stores. I'm pretty sure that under the USDAW, "agreement" with Tesco, we're not allowed to ballot for a strike.

All the DC vs Store willie-waving aside, I do wish DC's the best in this. I hope they hold their nerve and make Tesco back down.

[Davethebave]

The strike is pointless. Tesco will flood the DCs with agency drivers to get through Xmas.
To pay for the agency drivers they will tighten the strings after the strike and start making cuts.

I think we are all under paid, both stores and depots. A better option would have been action like a "go slow"

[VladPutin]

What are the laws regarding picketing the DC's and physically stopping agency drivers entering? Is that allowed anymore?

[Davethebave]

No, it's illegal to stop someone from crossing the picket line. You also can't be chucked out of the union if you don't go along with the strike and continue to work.

[Nomad]

You do have a right to cross a picket line, as do the people you work with have a right to 'send you to Coventry'.  I have seen it happen and the mental effect over a period of time on the person concerned  was devastating, and in their case they felt they could not continue in the job, and did not.

All actions have consequences.

Some DCs will never get support from others after doing other DCs work when they were in dispute.  Now isolated they have lost most if not all the bargaining power they might once have had.

[hesketh]

The strike is pointless. Tesco will flood the DCs with agency drivers to get through Xmas.
To pay for the agency drivers they will tighten the strings after the strike and start making cuts.

I think we are all under paid, both stores and depots. A better option would have been action like a "go slow"

It is illegal to increase agency usage during a strike, contractors may be a different thing but if the warehouse and shunters are significantly affected they won't have much to carry. The current agency usage is different from depot to depot but is usually between 20% and 40%. Allowing for approx 40% non union membership and banking on those who voted not to strike, and those who were bluffing, Tesco were confident of covering the trouble spots.

The fact that 13 depots have voted by significant margins to strike has surely shaken that confidence....

As for a "go slow", I ain't working that hard for anyone!

What are the laws regarding picketing the DC's and physically stopping agency drivers entering? Is that allowed anymore?

Only 6 people are allowed to picket at a time. No intimidation is allowed and physically blocking any entrance or exit is illegal.

The action "at the gate" is largely symbolic, only mass withdrawal of labour has any effect. Tesco have been saying that they will manage fine but the votes coming in at 72% and 84% will have shaken that.

[VladPutin]

@Nomad @Heskith very interesting. Thank you for answering my questions. Although I would point out, Nomad, that the last time I was sent to Coventry I regarded it as a relaxing holiday. It was so refreshing to not have to talk to people and pretend I cared about them...

With 13 DC's effected, I can't see how this won't have a significant impact, no matter what head orifice do. Sure, they can try to replace striking staff with agency drivers. But drivers are in short supply; they have been for most of the year. There simply won't be enough available to run at full capacity.

[hesketh]

Tesco have spent years reducing the warehouse capacity at the stores. Now they are trying to pack as much as possible into them before the strike happens. Don't forget to check fire escapes and emergency exits....

Whilst they will be able to partially mitigate the effects of grocery and frozen depots striking they are totally stuffed when it comes to fresh depots. Minimal refrigeration capacity and 5 day shelf life don't go together.

Expect the usual "leave it outside, it's cold out there" instructions. Let's hope it's not a mild December....

If Christmas fell in the summer they'd be screwed!

[lackofinterest]

i support the dc's all the way. such a shame we can't strike in stores. in my opinion any s**b crossing a picket line deserve a lot more than 'being sent to coventry'!!

[baldeagle]

Plans for 1,200 Tesco distribution centre workers to strike have been suspended, the Unite union has said.

The union, which had proposed several strikes ahead of Christmas, said it would recommend members to accept an improved pay offer in a new ballot.

Originally Tesco offered a 4% rise, now workers will get get 5.5% backdated to July plus a further 0.5% in February. Tesco meeting USDAW tomorrow

[T.C.1]

National forum are you listening 6% pay rise for all shop staff when pay negotiations start!!!

[Nomad]

https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/uk-union-unite-suspends-tesco-strikes-after-new-pay-offer-2021-12-08/

LONDON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - British trade union Unite said on Wednesday that pre-Christmas strike action by workers at four Tesco (TSCO.L) distribution centres had been suspended after an improved pay offer.

[VladPutin]

Looks like Head Orifice blinked first.  Congrats to DC's although on a personal note I'm disappointed. I was looking forward to a nice easy Xmas with no stock to work and customers beating each other to death over the last few scraps.