‘Paltry’ pay offer for GXO draymen triggers threat of beer drought

As many as 1,000 draymen responsible for delivering top brands, including Heineken, voted for industrial action over a “paltry” pay offer, with strikes planned for late August.

GXO Logistics Drinks Ltd (formerly XPO Logistics Drinks Ltd), responsible for 40% of the beer deliveries to hospitality venues spanning the UK, has offered its employees an increase of 1.4% for 2021, well below the current RPI inflation rate of 3.9%.

With 26 sites across the country, strike action could trigger a beer drought, with demand for beer volumes remaining high as society reopens following ‘freedom day’.

Employee anger was exacerbated by the loss of between £8,000 and £10,000 due to furlough and lack of overtime during the pandemic. No pay increase was offered in 2020.

Unite the Union members employed by GXO voted to take industrial action in response to the pay offer. On 11 August, 97% of Unite’s members voted for strike action, with 99% voting for industrial action short of a strike.

Joe Clarke, Unite national officer for the drinks industry, said: “Our members have suffered great financial hardship during the pandemic with some of them losing up to £10,000 through being furloughed and picking up no overtime, so it is no surprise that they have voted almost unanimously for industrial action.

“Our mandate for such action is resounding and reflects the deep anger felt by our members over their treatment by the bosses.

Two 24 hour strikes have been organised by the union, set to take place at 10am on Tuesday 24 August and 10am on Thursday 2 September. They will be accompanied by an overtime ban and work to rule spanning 24 August up to 15 November.

The disruption comes on top of the HGV driver shortages already hitting the sector this summer.