DHL staff to be balloted on strike action over redundancy payments
A ROW over redundancy terms may lead to strike action at a warehouse in Long Eaton which is set to close this year.
The DHL M&S Warehouse in Fields Farm Close employs 330 people who will be affected when it closes for good later this summer.
However, ahead of the closure, an ongoing dispute over employees’ redundancy packages has led to workers union Usdaw balloting for potential industrial action.
A former employee at the warehouse, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I got to know a lot of people while I was working there, who I am still close with, so I am finding the whole situation quite distressing.
“I’m disappointed to hear some of the stories about what is going on there – the staff are just trying to get what they believe they are owed.”
The decision was made to close the warehouse by M&S last year, with the company saying it was making changes to its supply chain.
Since then, workers union USDAW have been working closely with staff ahead of the planned closure.
Ed Leach, USDAW area organiser, said: “USDAW continues to fully support our members at DHL Long Eaton site (M&S contract) who are facing the threat of redundancy.
“We are about to start a ballot for industrial action with members about a dispute over redundancy payments and we urge the company to engage with the union to avoid any need for action to be taken.
“Any USDAW member with concerns should contact the union and we will seek to resolve them.”
Meanwhile, DHL has warned against any potential action, saying the “threat” of such action will not impact redundancy terms for warehouse staff.
A spokesperson for DHL Supply Chain said: “We are disappointed that USDAW is threatening to ballot for industrial action over redundancy terms at Long Eaton, when colleagues are already entitled to enhanced terms which USDAW itself signed up to.
“The threat of industrial action comes at a critical time for our customer, when stores are just reopening, and risks causing further hardship to our colleagues at Long Eaton.
“We urge the union to reconsider its plans in the current environment. The threat or actual implementation of industrial action will not change the company’s position in regards to redundancy terms.
“In the meantime contingency plans are being drawn up to minimise the disruption of service to our customer should the action go ahead.”