Tesco agrees to reopen talks with Usdaw

Usdaw has welcomed Tesco’s offer of further talks after members in nine distribution sites including Monmouthshire voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over pay disputes.

Planned industrial action, starting on Monday 20 December and concluding on Christmas Eve, is at this stage still set to go ahead.

The two disputes involve over 5,000 Usdaw members at nine Tesco distribution centres in: Daventry Clothing, Goole, Hinckley, Lichfield, Livingston, Magor (both trunk and main sites), Peterborough and Southampton.

The drivers and warehouse workers had rejected a 4% annual pay increase and Usdaw is looking for the company to improve the offer to avoid pre-Christmas disruption in stores.

Joanne McGuinness - Usdaw National Officer says: “We welcome the Tesco’s offer of further talks, which start tomorrow, and we will engage positively to seek a resolution to this dispute.

“Industrial action is always a last resort for our members. We sincerely hope that fresh negotiations can result in an acceptable offer from the business to avoid possible stock shortages in stores in the week before Christmas.”