Tradeteam staff put Christmas beer deliveries in jeopardy with threat of strike action

Tradeteam may have averted a rolling programme of strikes among its staff of drivers, draymen and warehouse workers at its Enfield depot after it put forward an improved pay offer following an apparent U-turn.

The Unite union told Motor Transport the new package would be put to its members on Monday (11 November) and if it was accepted then planned strike action would be halted.

About 100 drivers, draymen and warehouse workers were set to down tools, which the union said would hit customers Carlsberg, Coors, Greene King and Mitchells & Butlers in the run-up to Christmas.

It claimed Tradeteam had reneged on a negotiated package, which included a two-year pay deal rise of 2.75%, the introduction of a bonus scheme and an extra day’s Saturday overtime at Christmas.

Talks with Acas broke down last week (28 October) before staff at the MillMarsh Lane site in north London voted by 65% in favour of strike action.

Paul Travers, Unite regional office, said it had negotiated a two-year pay offer with the company which it was willing to recommend acceptance to its members, but the chief operating officer - who had not been involved in the talks - then decided not to rubber stamp the deal.

However, following further talks, Travers said the situation now looked more hopeful: “The Tradeteam management has met twice with Unite to resolve the pay and other outstanding grievances affecting our 100 members at the Enfield depot,” he said.

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“As a result, the company has now put forward an improved pay offer, as well as addressing the other key issues that are important to the drivers, draymen and warehouse staff.

“This new package will be put to our members on Monday (11 November) and if they accept it, we won’t be going ahead with planned strike action in the run-up to Christmas.”

Before the improved pay offer was proposed, a DHL Supply Chain spokeswoman told Motor Transport it was disappointed by the threat of strikes but that contingency plans were in place: “Every effort will be made to minimise disruption to customer deliveries should the strike action go ahead,” she added.

“No impact is foreseen on deliveries to other areas of the country.”