TESCO workers are due to strike just days before Christmas, and during crucial home delivery periods too.
The warehouse workers have already been warned they could lose their annual bonus or be sacked if they go on strike as planned later this month.
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The supermarket chain could experience problems fulfilling its Christmas deliveries this year though, as the planned strikes fall right on top off the period that shoppers have booked their orders.
Tesco shoppers were already left furious as they had to queue for Christmas delivery slots back in November.
Over 300,000 waited hours to book, so devastation is sure to be on the way if the store can’t meet its promises on delivery times.
But the supermarket isn’t worried that orders will be impacted.
A Tesco spokesperson has said: “We have worked hard to deliver Christmas for our customers and are confident we will be able to fulfil our plans.
“We welcome the decision by our colleagues at the sites who have voted against industrial action.
“We are disappointed that some have voted to proceed, and we have contingency plans in place to help mitigate any impacts.”
Action is due to take place predominantly on December 20 which is less than a week away from the big day itself, and just as Christmas online orders are due to be shipped out.
Trade union Usdaw is planning to take action at fives sites across the UK including one in Livingston, on the date.
The strikes are due to take place for another five days after that, taking action right through to Christmas Day.
Before that though Didcot and Doncaster sites as well as another two sites in Antrim and Belfast are due to host strikes on and from December 16 too, which is only another 11 days away from now.
The workers are balloting for strike action in a row over pay.
Tesco had offered a 4% pay rise, while workers argue it isn’t enough.
But they’re hoping for a speedy reaction from the company if they want to avoid any kind of disruption to Christmas orders, as they’re only weeks away.
The Tesco spokesperson said: “Our distribution colleagues have worked tirelessly through the pandemic in order to keep products moving for customers.
“The pay offer we have made is a fair recognition of this, and is one of the highest awards made within our distribution business in the last 25 years, building on our highly competitive pay and rewards package.”
Though it won’t necessarily impact shoppers’ orders, more strikes are due to be held after Christmas too.
Do I have a right to strike?
Legall, you do have a right to take industrial action, that’s according to the Government anyway.
You can’t be forced to stay at, or go back to, work unless a ballot wasn’t organised properly.
But if you do decide to take industrial action, you’ll probably have broken your employment contract.
That means your employer is unlikely to pay for the work you didn’t do when you took industrial action.
In some extreme cases, they could even sue you for breaking your contract – though this doesn’t happen often.
Tesco’s not the first supermarket to face disgruntled workers, Asda workers were locked in a dispute over changes to their own contracts in 2019, and they were told they could face the sack if they didn’t sign the new agreements.
I work in Tesco, someone came in with no debit card and wouldn’t move until I helped them set up apple pay
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