The vote follows industrial action at a distribution centre in Doncaster, after Tesco transferred the distribution centre’s operation to Eddie Stobart on August 5. The new employer issued 183 Tesco drivers with 90 days’ notice of termination of employment on September 5, with no promise that the drivers would be re-employed once the 90 days was up.
Unite the union described the revised offer as “very disappointing”, adding that its 180 driver members would be consider their options for the coming weeks and that further industrial action was possible.
Union regional officer Harriet Eisner said: “Our members had put great faith in today’s talks and that their new employer, Eddie Stobart would be putting a fair offer on the table. They are very disappointed and extremely angry that this was not the case.
‘No need for Stobart to get rid’
“Unite believes that there is no need for Stobart to get rid of these drivers. We don’t believe that the firm has the capacity in its existing network to properly service the Tesco distribution centre in Doncaster.”
The transport firm would have to recruit new drivers “on worse terms and conditions to run the operation, once they have sacked our members”, she added.
The drivers took two days of strike action last week − with great support from the Doncaster public, Eisner said.
On Monday (October 15) David Pickering, Eddie Stobart md, told FoodManufacture.co.uk that the drivers; union Unite had “forced drivers into proposed strike action”.