'Fair day's pay for hard day's work'

Unite has secured a huge pay increase for HGV drivers employed by Wincanton on the North West England Argos contract.

Over 90 drivers based at the company’s Heywood depot in Greater Manchester will see their basic rate of pay increase from £11.41 an hour to £15.00 an hour. As a result, the drivers’ annual earnings are set to increase from £26,699 to £35,100.

The total pay deal amounts to a 31 per cent increase for the workers. In addition Unite has secured agreement that the workers will receive a lump sum payment of £2,500.

Unite is in ongoing pay talks with other employers managing similar contracts in the North West, and it is anticipated that this pay deal will act as a catalyst to ensure that employers make realistic pay offers in these negotiations.

Unite regional officer Kenny Rowe said, “Lorry drivers have been chronically undervalued and underpaid for too long.

“Employers have to understand that if they want to have sufficient drivers to deliver their goods, they need to pay a fair rate of pay which reflects the skills and responsibility needed to drive a heavy goods vehicle,” he added.

“Unite will now be ensuring that other employers in the region make similar offers to ensure that lorry drivers receive a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work,” Rowe continued.

“Unite is dedicated to advancing the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and will fight back against any efforts to diminish workers’ living standards.”

By Barckley Sumner