300 Wilkinson contract drivers strike over 2% pay offer
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By Patric Cunnane
MORE THAN 300 drivers working on a contract for retailer Wilkinson have been balloted for strike action by the United Road Transport Union (URTU). The drivers are employed by the Canute Group at its Worksop and Magor, South Wales, depots.
Mel Thornton, URTU national oficer, says the dispute has arisen in reaction to a pay offer of 2% after a pay freeze last year.
“This is not enough,” says Thornton. He adds that this is against a background of the irm paying more than £2.7m into directors’ shares in 2010. The ballot closes on 12 December and, following the result, the union is obliged to give Canute seven days’ notice of any action.
However, Thornton acknowl
edges that trading is tough. “We want to settle if we can,” he says.
Canute says the shares that the union cites were largely investment monies and not for personal recompense. “It was the most tax eficient way of doing it,” says Canute commercial director, Nick Wood. The pay offer is a relection of pressure on the retail sector, “Wilkinson is trying to maintain costs,” he says.
Drivers received 4.4% in 2008 and 3.25% in 2009. “The pay freeze in 2010 was a deal guaranteeing no loss of jobs.” He adds that the irm hopes to continue talks next month with its offer backdated to February. “We are working together to seek an amicable solution,” he says.