Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, UK: HGV drivers and shunters at Müller’s Stonehouse factory in Gloucestershire are to escalate their dispute over imposed rota changes with 11 days of all-out strike action.
The workers, members of the Unite union, are responsible for delivering milk and other dairy products to M&S and Waitrose nationwide. Supplies to Sainsbury’s and Tesco, which receive deliveries from the Stonehouse plant, will also be disrupted.
So far the Müller workers have taken 14 days of strike action. Around 70 workers will strike again from 19 October to 29 October.
The row follows an attempt to impose rota changes – workers currently work on a five days on two days off rota system but Müller wants all drivers to work at least one day every weekend.
Unite says that the move is a “clear breach of an agreement the company signed with Unite earlier this year”.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It’s very simple; Muller signed an agreement with our members and they should stick to it.
“Unite will not accept attacks on our members’ jobs, pay or conditions. Müller’s Gloucestershire workforce has the union’s full backing in this dispute.”
Unite regional officer Amy Roberts said: “Müller needs to abide by the agreement it signed and drop these rota changes, which will negatively impact our members’ quality of life.”
