KNDL looks to minimise disruption from beer delivery strike

The company also said it was committed to resolving the dispute before the strike is due to begin at 10am on 11 September, and would look to speak to the Unite, the union that’s organising the action.

Unite has said the issue at the centre of the dispute is the way the firm allegedly breached the agreement that governs the terms and conditions of the workforce.

The union claims that deliveries to 30,000 licensed premises could be affected, meaning "significant disruption to the supply of beer across the country".

In a new statement, KNDL said: "Kuehne + Nagel continually reviews its warehousing and transport networks in order to ensure that the company provides the most efficient service to its customers.

"KN Drinks Logistics has been consulting with its employees for a number of years regarding the need to adapt its business model and enhance its service offering to meet the challenges of the declining on-trade drinks market.

Disappointed​

"We have engaged in lengthy consultation with Unite regarding the proposed changes to our secondary distribution network. In our meeting with Unite on 29 August and in subsequent discussions with the union, the company reiterated its desire to engage in meaningful dialogue including suggesting the involvement of ACAS in an effort to resolve this dispute.

"We are therefore extremely disappointed that the notice of industrial action has been issued prior to further discussions taking place.

"We are currently working closely with our customers and, in the event of strike action, we have contingency plans in place and will seek to minimise disruption to our nationwide deliveries.

"We remain committed to resolving this dispute prior to any action being taken and will be seeking to meet again with Unite in an effort to achieve this."

Unite named a number of companies that it said would be affected. One was Wells & Young’s, the drinks arm of Charles Wells that supplies the Charles Wells Pub Company estate.

Alternative​

In a statement, Wells & Young’s said: "We have been monitoring this situation carefully in recent weeks and planning contingency arrangements as appropriate. We will now be working closely with KNDL to ensure that the impact on our customers, whose deliveries fall into the period affected by this industrial action, is minimised.

"If there is a need to rearrange or alter a delivery slot, we will be contacting customers direct to agree a suitable alternative.

"Our priority now is to minimise any potential disruption for our customers and ensure that they receive their drinks orders and we will not make any comment on the dispute which is a matter for KNDL and Unite."

Previously a spokesman for Enterprise Inns 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."