WORKERS at Superdrug’s West Yorkshire national delivery centre will strike indefinitely on the run up to Christmas.
They walked out at 5.30am this morning and will continue the strike action until issues over working terms and conditions are met.
In total 261 workers at the Pontefract national distribution centre backed strike action.
The worker’s union Unite says it will mean the delivery of medication, cosmetics, perfume and aftershave will be hit in the run up to the peak Christmas shopping period at 300 Superdrug stores nationwide.
But Superdrug bosses say it will not affect stock at any of their branches, including the shop on Princess Alexandra Walk, Huddersfield, and another on Commercial Street in Brighouse.
Members are angry at the company’s plans which include changes to shift pay, which would reduce some pay packets by over £2,000 per year, and planned reductions to overtime payments and sickness entitlement.
Unite claims Superdrug is also seeking powers to allow it to change shifts and wants the workforce to opt out of the 48 hour European Working Time Directive.
A spokeswoman for Superdrug said: “We have robust procedures in place to ensure that our stores will not be affected by this industrial action.
“It is with regret that the union has chosen this course of action and we continue to be keen to reach a satisfactory conclusion to our consultations in order to meet our objectives of protecting operations in these uncertain times and safeguarding jobs for the long term.”
