Workers at a pallet warehouse in Trafford who are taking part in the UK’s longest current strike action have taken their fight to London in a bid to bring attention to their pay dispute.
CHEP UK staff in Trafford Park have been striking since December and could continue into the summer if an agreement with their employer is not made. Unite, the union representing the strikers, have accused the pallet supplier of ‘failing its workforce in the middle of a cost of living crisis’ with its ‘below inflation pay offer’.
Members previously said that while CHEP is currently ‘enjoying a boom time’, staff are being offered ‘in reality a severe pay cut’. Following further marches across Manchester last week, around 30 strikers campaigned in London yesterday (April 20) outside the offices of CHEP’s parent company Brambles.
The Unite union, who reported that the strike is now the longest in their 15-year history, said that ‘it’s time’ that Brambles intervene and help its subsidiary ‘get its act together’. In 2021, CHEP made sales revenues of more than £390 million. Between 2010 and 2021, CHEP paid out dividends to Brambles Ltd amounting to £664.54 million.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “I’m calling for CHEP UK’s parent company to intervene and sort out this mess. Our members are steadfast in their determination to secure decent pay. They can see the company can afford to pay a fair wage. CHEP UK has dragged its heels – so its parent company must now step in.”
Unite’s members at CHEP will begin balloting from today (April 21) until May 5 on whether to continue industrial action. A yes vote will see strike action continue beyond May 19.
Unite regional officer Ian McCluskey added: “Workers are now going to be balloted for a third time. Brambles need tell the management at CHEP UK to get their act together. Activists will be making it clear that this failure is now also the responsibility of Brambles.”
In previous statements, CHEP UK said competitive pay has been offered to all UK employees, with all UK sites bar Trafford Park having accepted such deals. The company said it hoped to reach 'an amicable and agreeable solution' with members.
A CHEP spokesperson told the M.E.N: “The continued industrial action taking place at CHEP’s Manchester service centre is as a result of an ongoing dispute of the pay offer made to employees at the site by Unite the Union. As part of our annual pay review process, we have offered competitive pay and employee benefit proposals to all our employees in our UK network for our current and next fiscal year."
It added: "We have a long history of successful, good faith negotiations and hope to reach an amicable and agreeable solution as soon as possible. We are continuing to operate on a business-as-usual basis and will stay fully focused on providing excellent service, together with our partners, to our customers.”
