Looming disaster: England football fans praying for a beer delivery to Croydon’s Boozepark, in time for the World Cup. Possibly…
A strike by lorry drivers and draymen over job cuts could see Croydon’s pubs run out of beer for the football World Cup in December and Christmas.
That’s the warning from union Unite, after their members working for GXO Logistics voted in favour of strike action over the company’s proposals to close its depot in Dagenham.
GXO Logistics delivers to around 4,500 pubs, clubs and bars in London and the south-east. One of its largest depots is in Croydon, on Beddington Lane.
The company delivers beer by the lorry-load for Heineken, Shepherd Neame, Whitbread, Admiral Taverns and the EL Group.
The strikes are yet to be scheduled, with the union aware that the Christmas trade is essential for the hospitality industry after two tough years of covid and with the pub trade facing steepling energy costs.
Dry depot: the GXO Logistics site at Beddington Lane which is facing the threat of a drivers’ strike before Christmas
Unite says that the closure in Dagenham “would result in major job losses while also dramatically increasing the workload of the remaining drivers at the company’s Croydon, Faversham and Greenford depots”.
GXO Logistics rejected proposals by Unite that would have kept the Dagenham depot open.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s members are not going to stand by and allow GXO Logistics to make needless job cuts while forcing the remaining workers to increase already unmanageable workloads.
“Unite is entirely dedicated to defending its members’ jobs, pay and conditions. The workers at GXO Logistics will receive Unite’s complete support.”
Another official, regional officer Paul Travers, described the dispute as being “entirely of the company’s own making”.
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I think we have greater issues at hand and far more important than no beer at Christmas