Tesco employees start strikes before Christmas

Warehouse workers and drivers at supermarket giant Tesco will stage a series of strikes in the coming weeks over a dispute over pay.

Unite said more than 1,000 of its members will take industrial action at depots in Antrim, Belfast, Didcot and Doncaster.

The union said the company had offered a four percent pay rise, which was “well below” the current Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation rate of six percent.

The current consumer price index (CPI) is 4.2%.

Tesco said the offer was one of the highest awards the retailer had given in the last 25 years.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members have gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep Tesco shelves stocked throughout the pandemic.

“At the very least, Britain’s biggest and richest retailer should make our members a fair wage offer.

“Unite always gives its members' jobs, pay and working conditions the highest priority and will provide our members at Tesco with its full and unconditional support until this dispute is resolved.”

At the Didcot and Doncaster sites, workers will strike for 48 hours from 6am on December 16, followed by a further five-day walkout from December 20.

There will be further strikes at both locations after Christmas.

Unite members at Tesco distribution centres in Antrim and Belfast will launch a full-scale, sustained strike from 7am on 16 December.

The union announced that the result of a strike vote by its members at the Tesco distribution center in Livingston, Scotland, would be announced on Monday.

If workers vote for industrial action, they are likely to join the strike before Christmas, the union said.

Adrian Jones, Unite national representative, said: “Unite is taking strike action as a last resort after all other options have been exhausted.

“Even at this late stage, Tesco could still avoid serious disruption to its stores by returning to the negotiating table and making a significantly better offer.”

A Tesco spokesman said: “Our colleagues in sales have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep products moving for customers.

“Our salary offer is a fair recognition of this and represents one of the highest accolades within our sales business in the last 25 years, building on our highly competitive salary and remuneration package.

“We welcome the decision of our colleagues at the sites who voted against industrial action.

“We are disappointed that some voted to continue and we have contingency plans in place to mitigate any impact.

“We have worked hard to give our customers a wonderful Christmas and are confident that we can fulfil our plans.”