Unite in talks over Kuehne + Nagel pub strike

The meeting is taking place after workers for KNDL (Kuehne + Nagel Drinks Logistics) voted for strike action. Workers voted by 85% in favour of strike action on a turnout of 64%.

According to Unite pubs run by Enterprise Inns, Trust Inns, Wetherspoons, and Wells and Young’s would be badly affected. 

In the event talks fail today Unite said it will prepare to name dates for action. Unite said the issue at the centre of the dispute is the way the company has breached the 'National Ways Agreement' which governs the terms and conditions of the workforce. 

The depots affected include: Aberdeen; Bathgate (West Lothian); Birmingham; Bristol; Chandlers Ford (Hampshire); Carlisle; Croydon; Dagenham; Devizes (Wiltshire); Dundee; Faversham (Kent); Greenford (Middlesex); Inverness; Liverpool; Manchester; Newark (Nottinghamshire); Northampton; Norwich; Plymouth; Preston; Reading; Stockton-on-Tees (Cleveland); Swansea; Wakefield; Warrington; Washington (Tyne and Wear); and Welwyn Garden City.

In a restructuring exercise called the Beethoven Project, KNDL wants to introduce three super hubs at Livingstone (West Lothian), Thatcham, near Newbury, and Wakefield from which beer, cider, lager and soft drinks will then be distributed to the above depots.

At present the 29 depots (those above and including Anglesey and Hereford which will be affected by the changes, but operate on different contracts) hold a supply of stocks that they can quickly and efficiently deliver to the pubs and licensed premises in their locality.

Unite said that the downsides to this proposal include:

• Supplies could be delayed by accidents/disruptions on the motorways
• The beer could be unsettled by the long journeys
• It is environmentally unfriendly, necessitating more HGV journeys on already overcrowded roads
• KNDL will be spending £2 million more on diesel each year
• It increases the chances that publicans will not receive the deliveries they have ordered at the time they wanted
• There are already cases of publicans being highly dissatisfied with this service
• It removes flexibility and speed of response to demands that the local depots currently provide

Unite national officer, Rhys McCarthy said: "Our members take pride in their jobs and they know that the present system for delivering beer has worked well for more than a century. It provides high levels of customer satisfaction; is responsive and flexible and ensures that the beer is not unsettled by long journeys.

"The changes being pushed through will not work. They will eventually lead to job losses and will cause enormous problems in delivering to customers. For drinkers up and down the country it could even affect the quality of the beer.

"We have tried to engage with the company but it has repeatedly refused to resolve this dispute. The company now has a final chance otherwise the union will be forced to name dates for action which could seriously disrupt the supplies of the nation's favourite beers and soft drinks."

A spokesman for Enterprise said the company had been contingency planning for many weeks and said it did not anticipate any disruption.  "We have very good contingency plans in place which will be enacted if required."