Workers at Springburn-based company to be balloted for strike action

Unite Scotland is balloting around 130 cask handlers, HGV, forklift and shunter drivers employed by Carntyne Transport on strike action in a dispute over pay.
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The Springburn-based logistics firm, which is part of the Russell Group, employs around 300 workers in total but the strike ballot will cover an area of the business involving around 200 workers.

The ballot opens today (Wednesday) and will close on December 15. The company has a number of clients including Diageo which could be hit by any strike action over the festive period.

Why are workers being balloted?

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The union says the strike ballot is in response to Carntyne Transport’s refusal to improve upon its £1.12 increase per hour pay offer, following unprecedented demands for drivers in the industry.

The offer would take HGV drivers’ pay to £13.72. The company is also only offering to increase pay for On-Site Logistics (OSL) workers (cask handlers, forklift drivers and shunters) by only 16 pence to £9.96.

Unite’s members are now demanding £15 an hour for HGV drivers, and a significant increase for OSL workers in light of rising levels of pay and labour shortages across the industry throughout the UK.

What is Unite saying?

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The fight at Carntyne Transport being led by our members is over decent pay and conditions, and they will have our full support in their campaign to drive-up standards.

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“Our members are simply fed-up at being treated with disrespect and they will no longer accept wage levels well below industry standards. This union is now focused on fighting for the jobs pay and conditions of our members and will do so at Carntyne Transport.”

Linda Pollock-Wilson, Unite industrial officer, added: “The cask handlers, forklift drivers and shunters are being offered a paltry 16 pence an hour rise, which leaves their pay barely above the national minimum wage. The HGV drivers are being offered an increase which still leaves them below £14 per hour, yet drivers at other companies are paying drivers £20 per hour.

“The company can afford to stop this dispute by paying our members the rate for the job, so why don’t they do just that.

“We are determined to improve the pay and conditions of our members in Carntyne Transport, and this strike ballot is only the first step in our fight.”

Carntyne Transport has been contacted for comment.

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