Chris Moore, Gloucestershire Socialist Party
HGV drivers and shunters at Müller’s Stonehouse factory in Gloucestershire are striking over imposed roster changes by the company, breaking agreements with Unite the Union. As Derrick Arlett-Johnson, senior Unite steward at Müller Severnside, told Socialist Party members visiting the picket line: “This dispute is about work-life balance and the right to have a family life.”
Derrick explained that Müller had breached the national agreement over retaining current roster patterns, and no standardisation of rosters. Now it is forcing new rosters on all drivers, including a requirement for increased weekend working. Over a year, this amounts to an additional 32 days for some drivers, so these changes have a huge impact, especially on parents, grandparents and anyone with family or other commitments. As Derrick said: “It’s a long-term and loyal workforce who worked their socks off during the Covid lockdowns and this is the thanks we get.”
The company started to call in drivers for one-on-one meetings, in breach of agreements, in an attempt to impose the changes. Unite objected and stopped this intimidating approach, forcing the company to consult in line with agreements.
However, Müller openly declared that it intended to change rosters regardless. A strike ballot of nearly 70 staff had a 77% turnout and an 84.6% ‘yes’ vote. The first three-day consecutive strike action started on 25 August, with the next on 1 September, with 24-hour pickets. Unite has declared more strike days will be set if the dispute is not resolved.
Stonehouse Müller drivers supply milk products to M&S, Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsburys nationwide. The company, which reported profits of £16.5 million in the UK and Ireland last year, tried to intimidate strikers saying they would lose their jobs and that the action was illegal, and the union had not consulted. Staff responded by increasing union membership. Unite has four reps spread over the workforce and is well organised with high union membership among the drivers.
Müller’s eight other UK sites have similar concerns and pressure is likely to build. Whatever happens in Stonehouse will have repercussions nationally.
