Pay row resolved

Workers at three DHL Supply Chain sites in South Yorkshire have overwhelmingly accepted an improved pay offer of 2.6 per cent for the year starting June 2016.

Unite said that the 15 days of planned strikes would not now go ahead.

The pay deal will benefit all warehouse operatives across the two sites at Bawtry and also at the Harworth site which is due to close when its employees are transferred to Markham Vale, operated by Great Bear Distribution.

Unite warned the Great Bear management not to erode the pay, and terms and conditions of the 150 workers from Harworth, otherwise industrial action could be on the cards.

“The DHL management made an improved offer of 2.6 per cent, up from 1.25 per cent, which was overwhelmingly accepted by our members. As a result, the planned industrial strikes won’t now proceed,” said Unite regional officer Harriet Eisner. “I would like to thank our members for the solidarity they have shown during this dispute.

“There have been assurances from DHL about the TUPE – Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations – move to Great Bear.

“However, we still have concerns about the new employer, Great Bear and the risk that it may be ‘picking and choosing’ who it wishes to make redundant from those transferring.

“Unite is arguing that all those who are ready and willing to relocate to Great Bear at Markham Vale do so on their current terms and conditions,” she added. “For all those for whom it is too difficult to travel to the new site, they will need to be paid their contractual redundancy by Great Bear.

“So far, Great Bear has indicated it intends to remove some of the terms and conditions enjoyed by the DHL staff, including paid breaks, collective bargaining rights and parts of the sick pay scheme.

“However, we have put down a strong marker to the Great Bear bosses that when the workers at Harworth are TUPE’d we won’t countenance any diminution of their pay, and terms and conditions,” Eisner warned.

“This would be a recipe for poor employment relations and could lead to industrial action, if these proposals are not rescinded. We will continue to fight for our members’ interests.”