Parcelforce drivers told jobs are safe
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• by Guy Sheppard More than 100 Parcelforce Worldwide drivers have been assured that they will keep their jobs despite staging a 24-hour strike at the Curzon Street, Birmingham depot on Monday.
The 120 drivers walked out after claiming their bosses had back tracked on conditions of a move to the firms new £100m depot at Coventry The drivers said the firm was refusing to pay additional travelling expenses to Coventry in full and staged the strike in protest.
A last-minute attempt by Communication and Transport Workers Union officials to persuade the drivers to call off the strike failed. Talks between the firm and the drivers over the extra expenses are expected soon.
Contingency plans throughout the 24-hour strike included re-routeing parcels across the country, bypassing the Birmingham depot.
Despite this thousands of parcels were delayed but Parcelforce says all the delayed parcels have now been delivered. It handles about four million packages a day nationwide.
Parcelforce spokeswoman Sally Jowett says the strike was irresponsible and illegal. The drivers have gained nothing from this action but noone is going to lose their jobs or livelihood," she adds.
CTWU branch secretary Terry Dean says the drivers are still angry over the Coventry conditions but further talks are likely. The move to Coventry is scheduled for next Easter.
• Up to SOO newjobs are to be created by the expansion of Parceline's distribution depot off Roebuck Lane, Smethwiek, near Birmingham.
The site will include an area for 103 vehicles with offices, a canteen, a car park, conveyor links and a gatehouse. The company currently employs 800 people on the site.