Menzies newspaper delivery drivers have voted for strike action over wages and the ending of double time for seven of the eight UK bank holidays. Menzies has said that it is continuing discussions with Unite over these issues.
86 per cent of Unite members that work for the distribution company voted in favour of strike, while 91 per cent voted for industrial action short of a strike.
A Menzies spokesperson said: “After a positive process of wage negotiation with Unite the Union, we have been informed by the union’s representatives that their members have balloted in support of industrial action over some changes to Bank Holiday working conditions.
“We are engaged in further discussions with the Union, and are optimistic that a resolution can be achieved.”
Unite has said that commuters ‘won’t receive their favourite read at stations, particularly in the south east and Scotland, when
Some 300 packers, pickers and drivers are affected and Unite said a strike would hit the south east and Scotland particularly.
Ian Tonks, Unite national officer for the graphical, paper and media sector, said: “The wiping out of extra pay and time off for bank holidays have caused particular ire for our members, compounded by this company’s cloying addiction to minimum wage pay levels.”
The company has distribution centres across the country including: Ashford, Aylesford, Bromley-by-Bow, Greenwich, Norwich, Ipswich, Portsmouth, West Thurrock and Weybridge in England. The main sites in Scotland are at Dundee, Dunfermline, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Irvine, and Paisley.
The dates for industrial action have not yet been released.
