The long-running industrial dispute between Eddie Stobart and 183 drivers at Tesco’s Doncaster distribution centre has finally ended.
The drivers voted today to an offer from Stobart which will pay them more than their contractual redundancy pay, ending a week-long strike.
They had been on continual strike since 6 December and will return to work until January.
Eddie Stobart said all 183 drivers had been offered alternative driving roles at Tesco and that Tesco and Eddie Stobart had highlighted an additional 212 warehousing and driving jobs to the Doncaster drivers affected. It also agreed to pay drivers who do move to an alternative role 75% of their full redundancy package as financial support.
The drivers are to be made redundant after Eddie Stobart announced plans to close the site in September – a month after taking over operations from Tesco.
An Eddie Stobart spokesman said the resolution meant it could continue to deliver good service to Tesco stores over Christmas.
“Since the start of September, we’ve worked diligently and professionally to come up with the best possible package for the drivers and to provide a range of alternative employment options. It’s a positive way to resolve the dispute and I’m extremely pleased for all parties that the drivers have accepted our latest offer,” said MD David Pickering.
Unite national office Adrian Jones hailed the improved package as a “victory for the drivers who have displayed unity, strength and resolution throughout this difficult time against a hardline employer.
“It also sends out a clear message to other transport and retail companies that may be thinking of treating their employees less than fairly that Unite will neither flinch nor back away from a dispute until there has been an acceptable and equitable settlement that our members fully support,” he added,
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