Pre-Christmas strikes at Morrisons have been called off after over 1,100 warehouse workers accepted an improved pay offer.

Pay deal agreed

The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s largest union, and are based at Morrisons’ distribution centres at Northwich in Cheshire and Wakefield in Yorkshire, originally faced a pay freeze and were then offered a meagre pay rise worth between two and three per cent.

However, once Unite began balloting the workforce for industrial action, fresh negotiations were held and an improved offer of five per cent for all workers was made, which the workforce accepted. The pay increase is backdated to 2 August 2021.

Jobs, pay and conditions

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s members have worked throughout the pandemic to ensure Morrisons shelves remained fully stocked. They simply were never going to accept a pitiful pay deal.

 “Unite does exactly what it says on the trade union tin: fight to defend our members’ jobs, pay and conditions. This pay rise at Morrisons, as well as similar victories at other workplaces across the country, shows this approach is paying dividends for Unite members.”

The pay deal for the warehouse workers follows closely on the heels of that for the outsourced HGV drivers employed by Wincanton who work on the Morrisons contract which serves these distribution centres.

Build on deal

Unite regional officer Ian McCluskey said: “Unite is determined to build on this pay award in future wage negotiations to ensure that our members continue to receive a fair day's pay for the work they undertake.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Morrisons warehouse workers ballot for industrial action with pre-Christmas strikes looming

During the coronavirus crisis Unite is working to keep workers and the public safe, to defend jobs and to protect incomes.

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications officer Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235 or 0203 371 2067.

Email: [email protected]

Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.