According to Unite the union, there is to be industrial action at the DHL Supply Chain sites at Tickhill in Doncaster and the nearby Harworth site over a 1.25% pay offer and the closure of the Harworth site.

Unite have published a statement saying that Unite members at the DHL sites voted by a majority of 78% to strike for 24 hours on the 15th May. Additionally they are to strike for three days from the 25th May and if the issues aren’t resolved it will be all out for 11 days commencing the 1st of June. The strikes will begin at 22.00 each time.

Unite regional officer Harriet Eisner said: “The strikes are in response to a derisory pay offer of 1.25% and in the context of a brutal TUPE – Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations – manoeuvre which will see the closure of DHL’s Harworth site and potential job losses for many of the 150 workers based there.

“These are individuals, many of whom are ex-miners, who walk or cycle to work from the neighbouring villages of Tickhill and Harworth and will be expected to travel 20 miles to the site at Markham Vale, operated by Great Bear Distribution, where warehouse workers are paid £1 an hour less.

“We want to resolve the dispute and protect as many jobs as possible by replacing agency workers with the permanent staff who face relocation to Markham Vale.

“For those that can’t undertake the new travelling distances, we want a guarantee of a generous redundancy package.”

Eisner added: “We urge the management at DHL and Great Bear to negotiate in a constructive fashion before this dispute escalates and disruption for their customers occurs very swiftly.”
 
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