‘Big retrograde step’

A consultative ballot of a 1,000 Co-op drivers for industrial action will be held after the group announced today (January 28) that it was transferring about 50 drivers in the Midlands to controversial haulier Eddie Stobart Ltd (ESL).

The national board of The Co-operative Group agreed to transfer the drivers based at Coventry to ESL in April.

Because of the implications for future outsourcing by the Co-op group, Unite will be holding a consultative ballot of a 1,000 of its Co-op driver members based at Birtley, Newcastle; Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland; Castlewood, north Derbyshire; Coventry; Newhouse, Lanarkshire; Plymouth and Thurrock in Essex.

Unite has raised serious concerns about the proposal, given ESL’s past treatment of workers transferred to its operations.

In 2012, Unite was embroiled in a long-running dispute when Tesco in Doncaster TUPE’d [Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)] 184 workers to ESL.

The drivers were then issued with a termination of employment notice with no prospect of re-employment. Many of those drivers are still out of work.

“We are very opposed to this proposed TUPE of the Co-op drivers to Eddie Stobart as this company has proved to be ruthless in its treatment of such workers, as its behaviour at Doncaster proves only too clearly,” said Unite national officer for retail distribution Adrian Jones.

“Eddie Stobart’s approach to industrial relations compared to the ethos of the Co-operative movement is like ‘chalk-and-cheese’.

“The Co-op has already intimated that it does not see itself as a haulier,” he added. “It is our belief that with four sites already outsourced in Andover, Avonmouth, Cambridgeshire and the north west, the plans to outsource Coventry are the thin end of the wedge.

“That’s why we are holding this consultative ballot for these 1,000 driver members because if they are outsourced it is highly likely that their pay, and terms and conditions will be seriously eroded; even their jobs could be under threat.

“Our members’ job security across the national transport network is being put at risk by the Co-op’s action,” Jones noted. “We are taking the temperature for industrial action and expect to then move to a full industrial action ballot.

“The Co-op group has been through some difficult times recently during which Unite was extremely supportive. We are, therefore, very disappointed by this announcement.

“The Co-op’s Christmas retail figures were encouraging, but we see this decision as a big retrograde step.

“All Unite is asking is that we have more time to investigate the viability of the comprehensive list of suggestions put forward by our shop stewards at Coventry to increase efficiency and reduce costs,” Jones went on to say.

“But the management has declined to give us that opportunity, which is a great shame given the long-standing ethical values of the Co-op.”