Newspaper deliveries are threatened over Christmas as workers supplying newspapers to WH Smiths, Menzies and Dawson’s plan to strike over Bank Holiday entitlements.
Two thousand Amicus members in the wholesale newspaper and magazine distribution industry are to strike on Christmas Day night, threatening Boxing Day newspaper deliveries.
Because Christmas night and New Years Eve night fall on weekend days this year, employers are refusing to pay Bank Holiday rates for staff working on Christmas festival days or give any time off in lieu. Instead workers are being offered only £30 extra for working Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Amicus national officer Ann Field, said: “We would expect workers giving up their holidays to get overtime pay and time off in lieu for working the important festival days.
“We are sure that those people expecting to read a paper on Boxing Day would like to think that the people responsible for getting it to them have not been exploited. £30 extra pay and no day off is an insult to our hard working members.”