Supermarket giant’s store at centre of job loss protest

LORRY drivers threatened with redundancy demonstrated outside Tesco in Doncaster town centre yesterday after the supermarket giant transferred their depot to a new operator.

Almost 200 drivers, some of whom have worked for Tesco for decades, were told a month ago that national transport firm Eddie Stobart was to take responsibility for the Doncaster delivery centre.

They were originally transferred on their Tesco terms and conditions, but Stobart has announced it plans to restructure the operation, meaning the drivers must accept different terms or face the dole.

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Harriet Eisner, from union Unite which represents the drivers said there had been a “100 per cent turn out” from the drivers, who also picketed the delivery centre on Middle Bank.

Ms Eisner said: “The drivers voted by more than 90 per cent to take action, and they have sent a clear message to Stobart and to Tesco management, which started this process and made them vulnerable to redundancy.

“As well as picketing the centre, the drivers decided to march to the nearest Tesco, in Church View, and they picked up a lot of support from people in town.”

Doncaster’s mayor Peter Davies has already criticised the way Stobart has dealt with the situation and joined union members on the picket line yesterday.

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The drivers will remain on strike until midnight tonight and Ms Eisner said she believed their action had proved that Stobart could not manage the centre with less staff.

She also added that the union was looking to challenge the company’s action in court because it may have breached transfer of employment rights regulations.

David Pickering, Eddie Stobart’s managing director, said the strike was “disappointing” and claimed the company had offered drivers 120 “alternative positions”.

A Tesco spokesman said: “We have contingency plans to ensure customers will not be affected.

“We continue to hope that the drivers and Eddie Stobart will reach an agreement and will keep working to try to provide alternative roles for all the drivers.”

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