Gym gear is donated to hospital site
Workers’ strike action at Argos Magna Park centre
MORE than 400 workers have gone on strike at Magna Park over plans to transfer 96 drivers from Argos to Eddie Stobart.
Unite, the country’s largest union, balloted members at the Lutterworth site over proposals it said would have “detrimental effects on pay, employment conditions and job security”.
Three quarters of the members voted in favour of strike action and 80% voted for industrial action short of a strike in a bid to remain employees of Argos.
Some 420 warehouse, admin staff and lorry drivers walked out yesterday and will remain on strike for up to six days.
Unite regional coordinating officer Paresh Patel said: “The strength of the mandate for industrial action reinforces our members’ clearly stated desire to remain employed by Argos.
“The management can avoid this action by rescinding the decision to outsource the drivers to Eddie Stobart Logistics (ESL).
“If Argos persists in their hard line against the drivers, we will be demanding two things.
“Firstly, that our members are offered decent severance packages should they wish not to work for ESL.
“Secondly, those drivers who do transfer have their pay, and terms and conditions protected for at least three years under the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE) arrangements .
“Finally, we want Argos management to engage with Unite well in advance in future should they be considering similar plans for the rest of the workforce. SURPLUS gym equipment from Hinckley’s old leisure centre has been donated to the outpatient physiotherapy department at Hinckley and District Hospital.
The Mount Road facility, which could close in a shake-up of local health services, now boasts two rowing machines, two exercise bikes, medicine balls, steps, mats and weights.
The fitness gear will be used by patients in their rehabilitation after injury or illness. Patients are referred to the department by GPs and consultants.
The donation was the brainchild of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council’s deputy leader,
“If the bosses had come to Unite in the first place, we could have put forward counter-proposals that may have averted this strike action.
“Unite’s door remains open for talks – and, even at this eleventh hour, we urge Argos to get around the table for talks for the sake of its employees, its customers and its reputation as an employer.”
Argos said in a statement: “Argos customers will not experience any disruption in the event of a proposed strike at its Magna Park Distribution Centre, which is one of Councillor Kevin Morrell, who said: “I had a chance meeting with Sam Andrews, a physiotherapist at the hospital, where I was extolling the virtues of the new leisure centre in Hinckley.
“This led me to follow up on her comments regarding the old gym equipment.
“A few emails and a discussion with Cllr Amanda Wright - the council’s executive member responsible for culture and leisure - and the results are evident. We are delighted to have helped to secure this great result.”
Sam added: “The equipment will help us enormously to improve the care and treatment we could previously offer to patients.” several distribution centres around the UK.
“The strike relates to the intention to TUPE the site’s 100 driver colleagues to Eddie Stobart Ltd. Contingency plans are in place to ensure that customers are unaffected by the proposed strike.”
Nobody from Eddie Stobart was available to comment.
Unite said Argos outsources the rest of its driver network, about 350 drivers, to Wincanton and the latest proposal sparked fears the drivers could also be transferred to Eddie Stobart.