Indesit drivers and warehouse staff to vote on possible strike
The delivery of thousands of ‘white goods’, from fridge freezers to kettles, could be severely disrupted, if more than 200 drivers and warehouse staff at Indesit UK take industrial action.
The ballot by members of Unite for strike action and industrial action short of a strike opens today (Tuesday 23 June) and closes on Tuesday 7 July.
Unite regional officer Mark Plumb said that the pay offer for the year starting January 2015 was 1.5 per cent, when at the time of the negotiations inflation was running at 1.7 per cent. In 2014, the pay award was also 1.5 per cent, when the inflation rate was two per cent.
Unite members are also angry at the attack on their terms and conditions. At present, if there were job losses, the redundancy pay is calculated at a guaranteed 45 hour week. Now the company wants to reduce this to contracted hours of 37 or 40 a week, depending on individual employee contracts.
The workforce ensures that freezers, fridge freezers, cookers, hobs, kettles and toasters are delivered directly to homes and trade outlets across the UK.
Mark Plumb said: “We urge the management to get around the table to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement for our members.”
The drivers, attendants and warehouse staff are based at: Andover; Barnsley; Chepstow; Gateshead; Grangemouth; Hayes (west London); Mallusk (Newtonabbey, Northern Ireland); Trafford Park (Manchester); Raunds (Northamptonshire); Sharpness (Berkeley, Gloucestershire); Wednesbury (West Midlands); and West Thurrock (Essex).
