Drivers and warehouse workers are holding the one-day strike over a pay dispute. T&G senior regional industrial organiser Peter Kabanagh said that security guards brought in by contractor DHL Exel were 'threatening, provoking and intimidating'.
He said: 'It has been a nasty start to what is a lawful strike and a peaceful protest.' He added that DHL Exel had brought in agency labour to get supplies out earlier than usual, but the goods being delivered may not be as fresh as they should be.
'DHL sent the refrigerated trucks out three hours earlier than normal, but the Iceland stores weren't opened three hours early. That means the refrigeration units would have had to stand idle waiting for the stores to open before they could be unloaded,' he added.
The strike has been called in protest of a 2.4 per cent pay increase by DHL Exel that had not been negotiated, as well as the failure of the contractor to pass onto workers any of the productivity and efficiency gains made by the 115 drivers and 250 warehouse staff at Enfield.
Kavanagh added: 'DHL Exel is doing very well; Iceland is doing very well. Iceland sees fit to sponsor I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!, while refusing to share its profits with the workers who make sure the products get into their stores.'
The Enfield site delivers to about 180 Iceland stores in London, the Southeast and East Anglia. Further strike action is planned for next Friday, Thursday December 21 and Friday December 22.
No comments yet