Protesters dressed as Robin Hood will be appearing at Aldi stores in West Yorkshire to highlight how the supermarket’s contractor Arrow XL is effectively taking from its poorly paid workers to pay rich directors.

When: Friday 13 January at 1000 - 1100hrs

Where: Aldi, Castleford, WF10 1EQ

This will be followed by a further protest on the same day at the other Aldi in Castleford, WF10 4RJ at 1130 - 1230hrs and then at the Aldi in Pontefract, WF8 2LN from 1400 - 1500hrs.

Over 350 members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, have been taking strike action since October, with the workers taking all-out continuous strike action from 9 December. The workers are poorly paid, with many only paid the minimum wage and other workers paid barely above £9.50 an hour.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Arrow XL is guilty of acting as Robin Hood in reverse: It is taking money from its poorly paid workers to give to rich directors.

“Arrow XL needs to stop mistreating its workers and make a fair pay offer. Until Arrow XL treats its workers fairly, Unite will continue to expose its practices at every opportunity.”

Arrow XL is part of the Logistics Group Holdings Ltd, which is owned by Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay Family Settlements. Arrow XL is highly profitable and despite not being prepared to pay its workers a decent salary, this does not apply to the company’s directors. Arrow XL’s highest paid director in 2021 was paid £539,000, an 84 per cent increase in just a year.

 Aldi is a key customer of Arrow XL and has a contract to undertake two person deliveries for the company, principally of large garden and BBQ equipment. Other companies that employ Arrow XL for two person deliveries include: Amazon, Very Group, LG Electronics, Richer Sounds and Buy it Direct.

Despite the real inflation rate (RPI) currently standing at 14 per cent, Arrow XL has only been prepared to offer the workers a five per cent pay increase, which is a considerable real terms pay cut.

Unite national officer Adrian Jones said: “The strike has caused considerable disruption to Arrow XL’s clients, but this dispute has been entirely self-inflicted.

 “Unite has given Arrow XL numerous opportunities to make a fair pay offer and it has stubbornly refused to do the right thing by its workers.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Arrow XL workers to protest at Logistics UK Awards

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.