Michelle Byrne – Usdaw area organiser says: “Tetrosyl management have not started the New Year with a fresh approach and have yet again failed to engage with Usdaw to seek a resolution to his dispute. Our members’ resolve remains strong after they voted overwhelmingly to challenge this immoral use of ‘fire and rehire’, despite management’s dirty tricks. Last year, one worker was unfairly dismissed; the company illegally brought in agency workers to try to break the strike, which is a criminal offence; and management refuses to engage with Usdaw, forcing us to rely on legal processes in an attempt to secure an agreement.
“The company can avert the strike on 30 January by getting round the table with Usdaw, so that together we can find a satisfactory resolution to this dispute. Our members work hard for the company and deserve the terms and conditions of employment that they currently enjoy. The business was able to pay shareholders a dividend of £2 million last year. Yet, as it stands, warehouse staff are set to lose between £4,000 and £7,000 per year, due to the removal of terms such as a shift supplement and paid breaks. It is only fair that our members should be rewarded for their contribution to the profitability of the business and not pay a ‘fire and rehire’ penalty.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest with over 370,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
Picture: Usdaw general secretary Joanne Thomas (second left) joins striking Tetrosyl workers on the picket line https://www.usdaw.org.uk/joannethomastetrosylstrike
For Usdaw press releases visit: www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Bluesky @usdawunion.bsky.social and Twitter/X @UsdawUnion