In a significant development, Tesco depot workers in Didcot are set to strike over pay disputes tied to new contracts.
- The strike includes workers in cleaning and catering roles who face unchanged pay despite new contract terms.
- Workers, supported by Unite the Union, have announced multiple strike dates starting from 1 September.
- Employer Atalian Servest stands accused of refusing negotiations over pay increments with the union.
- The dispute highlights broader issues of outsourced employment and workers’ rights.
In a significant turn of events, employees at the Tesco depot in Didcot, Oxfordshire, are preparing for industrial action due to disputes over new contract terms which do not include a pay rise. This affects cleaning and catering teams who are employed under an outsourced agreement with facility management firm Atalian Servest.
Current remuneration for these workers, as reported, includes cleaning staff earning £11 per hour, with catering staff paid the statutory minimum wage of £10.42 per hour, applicable even during weekends and bank holidays without additional compensation. Unite the Union, representing these workers, has taken a firm stand against this scenario, highlighting the lack of wage adjustments while the contract terms were revised.
To press their demands, Unite has organised a series of strikes. Workers will first strike on 1 September and 7 September, with plans for longer strikes commencing on 15 September and 21 September. This move follows reported profits of £84 million for Atalian Servest in 2021, a factor influencing the union’s argument that the company has the financial capacity to offer improved wages.
Sharon Graham, General Secretary of Unite, accused Atalian Servest of prioritising profit margins over fair wages. She stated that the company could afford a “decent pay rise” for their members, framing the refusal to adjust pay as a “cynical attempt” to boost profits at the expense of workers.
Unite’s regional co-ordinating officer, Scott Kemp, suggested that these strikes could lead to operational disruptions, including a dirty depot and closed canteen facilities. He attributed the situation to the ‘pig-headed’ refusal of Atalian Servest to negotiate.
Interestingly, while this dispute continues, Tesco has recently become the first major UK supermarket to provide flexible working rights to its staff, reflecting broader changes in employment practices within the sector.
The unfolding dispute at Tesco’s Didcot depot underscores significant tensions over pay and employment practices, affecting both workers and operations.
