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DHL drops its casualisation plans to avoid strike ballot
Page 18
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The threat of industrial action at DHL Express has receded following a last-minute compromise with the GMB. Sally Nash reports.
A BALLOT FOR strike action has been suspended at DHL Express after the company came forward with a new pay offer and made an eleventh-hour U-turn over its plans to casualise most of the workforce.
The move follows a series of talks between the GMB union and DHL Express over a three-year pay deal and the company's plans to sack up to 3,000 permanent staff and replace them with 2,5(X)casual workers.
The casual staff would only have been paid 62p for each package they delivered.
As part of the three-year deal unanimously rejected by the shop stewards, the company had offered a 1.9% pay rise in yearone,2.5"/0 in year two and 2.5 % in year three. As a result, the GMB served formal notice on DHL Express of its intention to ballot its members for strike action: papers would have started going out last week.
However, a spokesman for the GMB confirms that the ballot has been suspended:"As part of a new offer by the company. the plan to casualise 70% of the workforce has been taken off the table.
"Now we'll be consulting members on whether they would like to accept the new offer."
GMB national organiser Mick Rix says; "The GMB is pleased that we have an agreement in principle, subject to consultation with GMB members, which guarantees future stability of employment and earnings for our members, and staves off the threat of casualisation. "This is a win-win for GMB members" Chris Muntwyler, the chief executive of DHL Express UK & Ireland, says: "We're pleased that we've reached this settlement. We believe it will allow us to transform our business to continue to meet the needs of our customers, while recognising the contribution our employees make."