Tesco has denied that a 72-hour walk-out by 183 drivers would cause disruption to its stores.

The three-day strike over job losses by drivers at Tesco’s Doncaster DC, the third in the dispute, began at 12.15am on Wednesday. Logistics firm Eddie Stobart took over operations in August. In September, it gave the drivers 90 days’ notice of potential redundancies after deciding it had sufficient resources to carry out collections and deliveries. The drivers’ union, Unite, said it would need to recruit new drivers on worse terms and conditions.

Talks broke down earlier this month with Eddie Stobart MD David Pickering claiming drivers had “really lost out” after Unite rejected a package worth an extra £1m, including a redundancy pay offer improved by 28%. “From the very start of the consultation, we have worked hard to find a suitable resolution and to offer additional employment opportunities for the affected drivers,” Pickering said.

Tesco stressed it had “robust contingency plans in place to ensure customers in the Doncaster area would not be affected”.

“We hope talks will resume as soon as possible and a resolution can be reached. We will continue working with Eddie Stobart to try to provide alternative jobs for the affected drivers,” it added.

Unite said the three-day strike would cause widespread disruption to Tesco stores across the Yorkshire and Humber region.

“Tesco say it’s not affecting them, but we believe it will. In the North East there will be an impact on certain products going to stores. We don’t want to cause inconvenience to customers, but this is about job security for 180 drivers who have been given no option but to take more industrial action,” said Unite regional officer Adrian Jones.

Topics