Unite warns of further action as beer delivery strike begins

The warning follows a meeting between senior members of KNDL management team with the union yesterday to resolve the dispute concerning planned changes to the company’s national drinks distribution network.  

Deliveries of Fosters, Heineken, Kronenbourg, John Smith’s, Strongbow, plus Britvic soft drinks will be affected. Staff are also on a continuous ban on overtime and on a work-to-rule.

Unite said that deliveries to 30,000 premises would be affected by the strike.

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.

Unite said pubs a run by Enterprise Inns, Trust Inns, Wetherspoons, and Wells and Young’s would be affected. However, both Enterprise Inns and Wells and Young’s said they had contingency plans in place. 

Disruption​

According to Unite 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 workers believe the changes being proposed will lead to significant job losses.

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.

Unite national officer, Rhys McCarthy said: “KNDL’s refusal to take our concerns seriously mean there will be significant disruption to the supply of beer right across the country. Unite can not rule out further action if the company continues to drive through change without properly negotiating or assessing the impact these changes are having.

“Our members are already bearing the brunt of complaints from customers because of the company’s changes.  They are proud of their jobs and they know that the previous system for delivering beer worked and customers were happy.

“The changes being pushed through will not work. They will eventually lead to job losses and will cause enormous problems with deliveries to customers.  Hopefully when we next meet to try and resolve this dispute KNDL management will begin to negotiate seriously with Unite.”

Changing demands​

In a statement KNDL said: “It is widely known that volumes of drinks being consumed in licensed premises across the UK have steadily declined in recent years. With the support of its customers and lengthy consultation with employees, including Unite members, KN Drinks Logistics has spent a number of years transitioning to a more flexible distribution model which will hold stock at three existing large “hubs” supported by 23 transit points across the country.

"11 of these 23 transit points formerly operated as limited stock-holding locations. This model meets the changing demands of the market due to consumer behaviour, ensures the long-term sustainability of drinks distribution to licensed premises, and safeguards jobs for the future.”
 
According to KNDL the company made a number of proposals, including a commitment to undertake further "meaningful consultation" with Unite prior to implementing further changes to its distribution network.

KNDL said: “The Union was not prepared to accept these proposals and also refused to accept the company’s offer to involve ACAS in further discussions today.”