supermarket struggle
WORKERS, OCT 2005 ISSUE
Morrisons, the supermarket chain, has been forced to the negotiating table and a three-day strike set for 23 September — coinciding with the start of the Labour Party conference — has been postponed pending talks. As Workers went to press, the action had been called off for nine days. Around 4,000 warehouse and distribution workers, predominantly GMB and TGWU members, had voted overwhelmingly for action at three key depots in protest at redundancy proposals from the company. The ballot result, by T&G workers in Bristol, Northwich and Wakefield, and GMB at Aylesford and Warrington, was overwhelming, with more than 75% in favour on good turnouts.
A total of nine days' strike action and an overtime ban are scheduled, aimed at stopping job cuts resulting from the company's planned closure of three distribution centres in Kent, Bristol and Cheshire that had previously belonged to Safeways, which Morrisons took over two years ago. Morrisons have 12 further centres, run by Excell or Christian Salvesen, and predominantly represented by USDAW. Despite recently building new centres, Morrisons says it decided to sack 2,500 employees because it has surplus capacity within distribution. Picketing had been planned for the other 20 depots, which will include the 12 depots contracted out by Morrisons to Excell and Christian Salvesen.
It has been very difficult to organise this group of workers in the past, because of casualisation, contracting out and the hostility of the supermarket employers, so this action is of great significance. The TGWU has recently won a number of tribunal cases against the company over its refusal to pay recognised shop stewards for time off for meetings. The management has been attempting to drive wedges between the unions that organise there, trying to negotiate separately with the unions, but they are acting together at local and national level.
Morrisons did not consult over the job losses, say the unions, and Brian Revell, National Officer of the TGWU, says the company has sought to block trade union activity. Company boss Sir Ken Morrison boasted that his door is always open, but according to the TGWU, the company was attempting to deal only with USDAW. Revell said it was not for the company to decide who represents the workforce.
Since buying the Safeways' British stores for £3 billion two years ago, Morrisons has been having difficulties and has sold 180 stores. Sales have declined, the share price has fallen, and there have been reports of boardroom struggles.