The GMB union said around 250 drivers at delivery giant Yodel have voted to strike in a dispute over pay and working conditions. Interestingly, one reason they are planning a strike is due to agency workers being paid more than drivers employed directly by the company – perhaps a sign of the times with businesses increasingly reliant on independent workers to plug the gaps during the current shortage of permanent workers.
The strikes could affect deliveries for Marks & Spencer, Aldi and Very from Yodel’s depots in Hatfield in Hertforshire, Glasgow in Scotland and Wednesbury in the West Midlands. The dispute is set to exacerbate disruption caused by lorry driver shortages, a situation that campaigners will use to their advantage in order to achieve parity.
The GMB union said Yodel’s drivers are angry over issues including a lack of work-life balance, lack of payments in lieu of annual leave and an alleged failure to honour contractual agreements on pay for holiday and sick leave.
Nadine Houghton, a national officer for the GMB, said: “GMB drivers working for parcel delivery giant Yodel have returned a massive vote in favour of taking industrial action over pay and working conditions. With acute labour shortages across a range of sectors the time for working people to organise and take action to improve their lot is right now.”
Dates for the first round of strikes will be agreed and announced shortly.
