Booker drivers threaten strike action over pay dispute

More than 1,500 stores across London and the south east could face further disruption to their deliveries as Booker delivery drivers are balloting for strike action.

Drivers from Booker Retail Partners’s Thamesmead depot are calling for the action after the firm refused to implement the same £5 pay uplift as their counterparts at the Hemel Hempstead depot. The temporary uplift was put in place as a result of the national driver shortage.

The Thamesmead depot serves more than 1,500 convenience stores, including Budgens, Londis, Premier, One Stop and forecourt retailers.

The ballot for strike action and industrial action short of a strike will be held from the middle to the end of August. Unite, the union representing the drivers, is seeking a similar uplift for the drivers and accused BRP or “burying its head in the sand.”

Booker has committed to conversations with union representatives about the concerns, but no formal notification of strike ballot has been submitted yet.

Unite regional officer Paul Travers said: “We are facing a serious HGV driver shortage across the UK – ‘a perfect storm’ in the worst possible way.

“Due to this well-publicised driver shortage, Booker Retail Partners put in place a temporary uplift in pay of £5 an hour for the drivers at Hemel Hempstead; however, when we approached the company in regards to an uplift for our members at Thamesmead, the bosses refused.

“The drivers are paid a low rate of pay. The company seems to think this is acceptable and has consistently refused to meet our demand for a temporary uplift until pay negotiations start in September. Due to the shortage of HGV drivers, pay rates are increasing rapidly across the industry and the management are burying their heads in the sand over this development.

“Our members deliver everything from fresh food to ‘dry’ groceries and are the lifeblood of many smaller convenience stores. The impact of any sort of industrial action will have a serious impact on the stores’ ability to satisfy customer demand.

“We are calling for serious talks with the management to resolve this issue – our door is open for talks 24/7.”

A Booker Spokesperson said: “The industry shortage of HGV drivers has created some distribution challenges but we’re doing everything we can to ensure customers can get the products they need. We are working closely with our suppliers, our colleagues at our distribution centres and Unite to manage the issue and find the best way forward.”