Tesco depot workers face strikes due to new contracts without pay rises.
- Workers at Tesco’s Didcot depot are striking over unpaid new contracts.
- Outsourced cleaning and catering staff demand increased wages.
- Unite union supports the strike for fair worker compensation.
- Atalian Servest’s profits questioned amid the pay dispute.
Tesco depot workers at Didcot are initiating strikes due to the introduction of new cleaning and catering contracts that do not include a pay increase. These protests arise as cleaning staff earn £11 per hour with no additional pay for weekend or bank holiday work, and catering staff remain on minimum wage at £10.42 per hour.
Unite the Union has announced several planned strikes: the first two, set for 24 hours each, will occur on 1 September and 7 September. Subsequently, there will be a three-day strike beginning on 15 September, followed by another three-day strike from 21 September. The union insists that these actions are in response to Atalian Servest’s refusal to negotiate pay increases.
Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, criticises Atalian Servest’s strategy, stating, “Atalian Servest can fully afford to give our members a decent pay rise, its failure to do so is a cynical attempt to further boost its profits at the expense of its workers.”
Furthermore, Scott Kemp, Unite’s regional co-ordinating officer, emphasises that the expected impact of strike action will be notable, resulting potentially in a dirty depot and canteen closure. Kemp attributes the situation to Atalian Servest’s unwillingness to engage with the union on pay issues.
The dispute highlights a broader issue within outsourced labour, questioning Atalian Servest’s reported £84 million gross profits in 2021 as it stands accused of not sharing this wealth with its employees. This situation coincides with Tesco being the first UK supermarket to offer flexible working rights to its supermarket staff, contrasting the ongoing dispute at the depot.
The strikes at Tesco’s Didcot depot underscore ongoing tensions about fair wages and outsourced labour practices.