Yodel’s truck drivers are voting to decide whether to continue the strike, a move that may exacerbate the supply chain crisis in the UK.
The GMB union stated that after failing to reach an agreement with Yodel to affect the pay and working conditions of delivery company truck drivers, it had voted on more than 250 members on labor action on Wednesday.
The union stated that employees are angry about the lack of work-life balance and that the wages of intermediary workers are higher than those of drivers directly hired by the company. Workers are also concerned about the alleged failure to pay in lieu of annual leave and the alleged failure to fulfill contractual agreements on paid leave and sick leave.
GMB added that workers are upset that Yodel has not provided any substantial pay increase measures, which will prevent drivers from going to other places for higher-paying jobs, especially when employers across the country are scrambling to hire workers. Andy Prendergast, the national secretary of the GMB union, said: “With a chronic shortage of drivers across the country, Yodel believes it is appropriate to fight with his loyal employees.”
Lack of truck drivers, partly due to the Covid crisis and Brexit, Has put pressure on the UK supply chain And let some retailers work hard to update inventory. Earlier this week, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) stated that inventory levels in August had fallen to the lowest level since the retail trend was first tracked nearly four years ago. This is partly due to worker shortages in several key industrial sectors, which are exacerbated by the shortage of foreign labor caused by Brexit.
It forces many companies to raise wages or bonuses to attract employees. Amazon recently stated that it will provide an affiliate bonus worth up to £1,000 to help attract new employees, while other warehousing, transportation and logistics companies, including DHL and Whistl, have also announced similar plans.
The Yordel strike vote will end in mid-September, which may mean that industrial action will also be held during the busiest season before Yordel Christmas. According to the company’s website, Yodel has more than 10,000 employees and delivers more than 190 million packages each year.
Prendergast said that GMB had been trying to resolve the dispute for several months, but claimed that “Yodel executives do not want to listen.”
“Our members let Yodel ship packages across the country. They know their value and will not back down until Yodel meets their reasonable requirements,” he said, adding that Yodel “should move the world and let them stand. On the side”.
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Yodel stated that it was disappointed with the GMB’s voting plan and had been “proactive” for several weeks in dialogue with the union. “We will continue to cooperate in good faith with our union colleagues and are committed to further discussions to resolve any remaining issues,” said a spokesperson for Yodel.
