Eddie Stobart ends dispute with former Tesco drivers

Eddie Stobart has ended a long-running dispute with 184 HGV drivers that had been pursuing an unfair dismissal claim relating to the logistics giant taking over the running of a Tesco DC in Doncaster in 2012.

At a meeting that took place prior to an employment tribunal hearing in Sheffield last week, an Eddie Stobart spokesman told MotorTransport.co.uk that a “without-prejudice settlement” had been reached with the drivers.

Although details of the settlement have not been revealed, the Unite union called it a “historic victory in their fight against unfair dismissal” that had been ongoing for two years.

Unite added that individual members will now be asked over the coming days if they accept the offer while legal requirements are finalised.

The dispute stems back to August 2012, when supermarket Tesco took the decision to outsource the running of its Doncaster site to Eddie Stobart. The later subsequently removed the transport function from the operation, opting to use its existing distribution network to carry out collections and deliveries instead.

This led to redundancy notices for 184 former Tesco drivers.

A series of Unite-led industrial action followed, which came to an end in December 2012 when the drivers accepted an improved redundancy package.

The former drivers staged demonstrations last year outside Tesco DCs in Doncaster, Goole and Widnes to highlight what they said was “unfair dismissal”, with an employment tribunal to consider the case.

A spokesman for Unite said that while a number of the former Tesco drivers are still working in the industry, “a good proportion remain unemployed”.