Yodel drivers vote to strike

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Couriers at Yodel have voted in favour of strike action, threatening deliveries for Marks & Spencer, Aldi and Very. The GMB union said 250 Yodel couriers had voted in favour of industrial action over their pay and conditions after a ballot was opened in August. The drivers have complained of a lack of work-life balance and have accused Yodel of paying agency drivers more than those employed directly by the company. They also claim that the company has not paid workers in lieu of them taking annual leave and that there are discrepancies with holiday and sick pay. The strike will hit Yodel’s clients hard in the midst of an acute shortage of HGV drivers. GMB national officer Nadine Houghton said Yodel workers had “returned a massive vote in favour of taking industrial action”. “With acute labour shortages across a range of sectors the time for working people to organise and take action to improve their lot is right now,” she said. “GMB members working for Yodel will immediately be agreeing dates for their first round of strikes and with the majority of Yodel’s drivers voting to walk out, parcel deliveries will be significantly hit.” Industry bodies have called for the government to relax visa rules so logistics companies can bring in drivers from the EU, while a number of companies have increased hourly rates in a bid to attract drivers.

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