Industrial action by Booker HGV drivers postponed
Industrial action planned for this week by HGV drivers at Booker’s Thamesmead site has been postponed to allow for further talks between Booker Retail Partners and the union Unite.
Meetings were held last week between the two sides to discuss a dispute caused by Booker Retail Partners putting in place a temporary pay rise of £5 an hour for the 40 drivers at its Hemel Hempstead depot but then refusing to implement a similar uplift for the drivers at the Thamesmead site.
In a joint statement, Ian Taylor, director of distribution of Booker, and Adrian Jones, national officer at Unite, said: “Discussions have been constructive and positive. It has agreed that the negotiating group would reconvene on Tuesday 28th September 2021 to further discuss the pay award for 2021.
“As a result of these meaningful negotiations, we have mutually agreed that the intended industrial action for drivers would be postponed until at least the 4th October 2021 to allow further discussions to take place.
“Progress to date has been productive and the negotiating group remain committed to arrive at a mutually beneficial conclusion that is sustainable for all parties, with the intention to avoid industrial action taking place.”
