Oil tanker drivers at Wincanton, who deliver petrol to Tesco forecourts around the south of England, have voted for strike action in a row over pensions and job cuts, when their work transfers to new contractors TDG.
Union leaders said that drivers have responded angrily in the wake of a reported intention by TDG not to take on all of the drivers under the TUPE transfer arrangements. The workers union T&G says that the new contractors have failed to say categorically that they intend to honour the transfer arrangements in all parts of the country. Ron Webb, T&G national secretary for transport, described this selective approach as “a nonsense” and demanded that TDG stick by their obligations.
A spokesperson for T&G said on Friday (13 January 2006) that: “nothing has moved forward.
He added that: “The union takes action as a last resort not a first resort and we hope to resolve matters before it gets to that stage.” The timing and nature of the industrial action is yet to be confirmed but is likely to be announced later this week when the union’s national committee meets to discuss the situation.
