130 jobs at risk at distribution centre for Tesco

This follows Tesco’s announcement that it will be moving part of its distribution from its centre in Daventry, Warwickshire, to a distribution centre in Milton Keynes.

A spokeswoman for Tesco said: “Following a review of our online distribution network, Tesco recently announced plans to re-open its Fenny Lock distribution centre in Milton Keynes, creating 300 jobs. The move will enable us to deliver better service for customers as our online business grows.  ​

“Part of the business currently operated from our Daventry site will move to Fenny Lock, and we are working with ​[the union] Usdaw to support affected colleagues through this difficult time. A second fulfilment centre in Middlewich, operated for Tesco by CEVA Logistics, will also close.”​

The 130 staff at the Middlewich centre and 200 staff at the Daventry centre have been informed of the impending changes to their sites.

All the staff employed by CEVA at Middlewich are entitled to transfer to Tesco at Fenny Lock.

Usdaw has been meeting with representatives from Tesco about the supermarket’s wider reorganisation, which will potentially affect a total of 1,600 staff across five distribution centres at Harlow, Chesterfield, Weybridge, Magor and Welham Green.

Usdaw’s national officer Joanne McGuinness said: “While the company’s review of its distribution network has been going on for some time now, the proposed closures of the Chesterfield, Harlow and Weybridge sites has still come as a great shock to our members. Further proposed job cuts at the Magor and Welham Green sites will also cast a huge shadow over the workforces there.​

‘Devastating news’​​

“This is devastating news for our members and we will be examining very closely the business case for these proposed changes.​

“We will be using the 90-day consultation period to consult with the company on behalf of our members who are now facing an uncertain future.​

“While we understand the retail sector never stands still, the human cost in these upheavals has impacted massively on the UK’s warehouse and distribution workforce.”​

A spokeswoman for Tesco said: “Two new Tesco distribution centres, in Reading and Dagenham, will open this summer as part of our commitment to building a world-leading distribution operation. These openings will help us to provide a better service for our customers and reduce carbon emissions across our transport network. This marks the latest stage in an investment programme that began in 2007.”​

Tesco is offering staff at the sites which are closing the opportunity to take up roles at these new centres or elsewhere within Tesco distribution.

Eddie Stobart​

Meanwhile, last week Eddie Stobart announced that it had signed a new three-year contract with Tesco, which formalised its previous pay-as-you-go deal across the supermarket’s nine distribution centres.

In a company statement, Eddie Stobart said: “The group is pleased to announce that it has signed a new three-year contract with Tesco, which runs until February 29 2016. This agreement formalises the previous arrangements with Tesco, to whom the group has been providing both primary and secondary distribution services on a pay as you go basis for the past eight years.” ​

When Tesco transferred the running of its Doncaster distribution centre​ to Eddie Stobart last year, Stobart issued 183 Tesco drivers with 90 days’ notice of termination of employment, with no promise the drivers would be re-employed once the 90 days were up.

Drivers rejected the transport firm’s “final offer”​ of financial support and voted to go on “continuous strike”​. The dispute was finally resolved​ in December.