HGV drivers and warehouse staff working for GXO to take strike action

Lorry drivers and warehouse staff working for GXO taking strike action over below-inflation pay offer.

Members of the Unite trade union are to take part in a series of strikes after their employer tried to impose a real-terms pay cut.

HGV drivers and warehouse workers at logistics giant GXO, based in Runcorn and contracted to the Greene King brewery, have been offered just a four per cent pay rise this year, despite inflation running at over nine per cent for much of the year.

The workers will now be striking on three separate occasions in November and December. Workers at GXO deliver beer to Greene King pubs across the North West and up to the Lake District and Carlisle. Industrial action could see taps run dry in pubs leaving drinkers turning elsewhere for their pints in the run-up to Christmas.

Strikes are to take place at the Runcorn warehouse on 23 November for 24 hours, followed by longer strikes on 30 November – 1 December and 6-8 December. More dates for industrial action will be announced if members don’t receive a fair pay offer.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Both GXO and Greene King are incredibly wealthy companies which can fully afford to make our members a fair pay offer.

“Unite always puts prioritises the jobs pay and conditions of its members and the GXO workers on the Greene King contract will receive the union’s complete support. “

Greene King’s most recent financial results showed profits of nearly £250m while GXO Logistics has revenues over nearly £2.5bn in the last three months alone.

Unite regional officer John McColl added: “Greene King needs to make clear to its contractors to start paying a decent wage to our members or pubs will be running dry of their beer this Christmas. Greene King promises to ‘pour happiness’, they need to make our members happy or face more industrial action.”