A New Year industrial action ballot is threatened at logistics giant GXO over a ‘complete mess’ in the new payroll system that has resulted in about 1,700 workers not being paid what they are fully owed on time each month. 

Should Unite members vote for strike action, it could threaten deliveries of Heineken beer and lager products to more than 20,000 pubs, restaurants and clubs across the UK. Members affected by the payroll problems are employed on the GXO primary and secondary logistics contracts.

A consultative ballot by Unite the union over whether its members at GXO, formerly known as XPO, wanted to proceed to a full-scale industrial action ballot, with the option to strike, returned a 99 per cent majority in favour. 

Unite said that for the last nine months workers had experienced consistent shortfalls in their wages and overtime payments, which had caused unnecessary stress for members trying to pay their household bills in a timely manner. 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is completely unacceptable that the new operator of the payroll system brought in by GXO has presided over a complete mess that has caused our members great anxiety as wages are either ‘short’ and/or not paid on time. 

“GXO bosses need to get this sorted out very quickly, otherwise a New Year ballot for strike action could lead to Heineken beer and lager deliveries across the UK being severely disrupted in 2022.”  

Unite national officer for the food industry Joe Clarke said: “The depth of anger that our members feel about being ‘short changed’ for the last nine months was reflected in the near unanimous vote for a strike ballot – it is time to end this payroll chaos.” 

Unite is dedicated to advancing the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and will fight back against any efforts to diminish workers' living standards.

ENDS 

For more information, please contact Unite senior communications officer Shaun Noble on 020 3371 2060 or 07768 693940. Unite press office is on: 020 3371 2065.

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Unite is the leading union in the UK and Ireland, dedicated to defending and improving members' jobs, pay and conditions. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.