Distribution centre strike action plan

ANOTHER 24-hour stoppage has been organised at a Long Eaton distribution centre as workers strike over redundancy pay ahead of its closure.

The continued strike action at the DHL and Marks and Spencer centre will begin at 5.15am on July 1 as staff continue to protest the amount long serving staff are due to receive.

It comes as the site’s closure at the end of July edges closer, with two previous 24-hour stoppages taking place at the centre. The action affects a Marks and Spencer third-party logistics contract, operated by DHL at the Long Eaton site.

Workers’ union Usdaw balloted its members and 90 percent voted in favour of the strike action, coming after a former employee slammed the redundancy terms and expressed workers’ “outrage, disappointment and betrayal”.

Ed Leach, Usdaw area organiser, said: “Despite the overwhelming support of members, regrettably the company has made no attempt to come back to the negotiating table.

“We are therefore planning to hold a further 24-hour stoppage from 5.15am on Thursday, July 1 and we again appeal to the company to engage with us.

“DHL have announced their intention to close the site in July putting all staff at risk of redundancy.

“It is extremely disappointing that we have been forced to the last resort of industrial action by DHL’S refusal to agree that staff employed prior to July 2003 are entitled to significantly enhanced redundancy pay. We have tried to resolve this through ACAS, but the company still would not improve on their initial offer.”