Welwyn Garden City, UK: Tesco distribution staff at centres in Antrim, Belfast, Didcot and Doncaster have voted to accept an improved pay offer, averting the prospect of strikes in the run-up to Christmas.
Tesco’s original offer had been 4% rise but now the workers have been offered a minimum of a 5.4% increase, backdated to July 2021 (the anniversary date for annual pay increases) and an additional 0.5% from February 2022.
However, Usdaw union is yet to agree a deal with Tesco, after its 5,000 members also rejected the original 4% rise.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Tesco’s improved offer shows what can be achieved by our members standing together. Given that the company has forecast profits for 2021, topping £2.5 billion, an improved offer is the least Tesco workers could expect”.
Unite was also able to secure an increase in overtime at the Doncaster distribution centre and an increase in holiday entitlement (one bank holiday and one standard holiday) for the workers at Belfast.
Unite will now ballot its members on the deal and is recommending its acceptance.
If the deal is rejected by the members then fresh strike action will be announced but that is unlikely to be before January 2022.
Unite national officer Adrian Jones said: “Right from the beginning of this dispute Unite has been clear that Tesco could afford to make a more generous offer and that has proved to be the case.
“It is now up to Unite’s members to decide if the proposed deal meets their expectations.”
Unite members employed at the Livingstone distribution centre in Scotland announced strike action on 6 December. A further update about this dispute is expected in the coming days.
