Relief for Southport shoppers as Morrisons workers agree to pay deal meaning strike threat averted
Pre-Christmas strikes at Morrisons have been called off after over 1,100 warehouse workers accepted an improved pay offer.
Pay deal agreed
The workers, who are members of Unite, the UK’s largest union, and are based at Morrisons’ distribution centres at Northwich in Cheshire and Wakefield in Yorkshire, originally faced a pay freeze and were then offered a meagre pay rise worth between two and three per cent.
However, once Unite began balloting the workforce for industrial action, fresh negotiations were held and an improved offer of five per cent for all workers was made, which the workforce accepted. The pay increase is backdated to 2 August 2021.
Jobs, pay and conditions
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s members have worked throughout the pandemic to ensure Morrisons shelves remained fully stocked. They simply were never going to accept a pitiful pay deal.
“Unite does exactly what it says on the trade union tin: fight to defend our members’ jobs, pay and conditions. This pay rise at Morrisons, as well as similar victories at other workplaces across the country, shows this approach is paying dividends for Unite members.”
Build on deal
Unite regional officer Ian McCluskey said: “Unite is determined to build on this pay award in future wage negotiations to ensure that our members continue to receive a fair day's pay for the work they undertake.”