Beer drought could be on the cards

THE threat of a late-summer beer drought moved closer as about 1,000 draymen who deliver top brands, such as Heineken, voted for industrial action over their pay.

Unite the union said there will be two 24 hour strikes, the first starting at 10am on Tuesday, August 24 and then at 10am on Thursday, September 2.

This will be accompanied by an overtime ban and work to rule starting on August 24 and continuing up to November 15.

Unite said that its members, employed by

GXO Logistics Drinks Ltd (previously XPO Logistics Drinks Ltd), are based at 26 sites and are responsible for about 40 per cent of the beer deliveries to UK pubs and hospitality outlets.

Unite’s members voted for strike action by 97 per cent and for industrial action short of a strike by 99 per cent over the company’s offer of 1.4 per cent for 2021

The workers’ anger over the pay offer has been further exacerbated by them losing between £8,000 and £10,000 over the last year due to furlough and lack of overtime, coupled with no pay increase for 2020. Unite had offered a manageable inflation increase which the company then rejected.

Unite national officer for the drinks industry Joe Clarke said: ‘The threat of a late summer beer drought now increases for Britain’s thirsty beer drinkers as our members make 40 per cent of the beer deliveries in the country. We call, once again, for the company to engage in meaningful negotiations regarding a decent pay increase for our members.’