The Co-operative’s food wing has been accused of ‘soiling its
principles’ by contracting out its distribution operations in the
south west by Unite, the largest union in the country.
Unite condemned today’s (Wednesday 6 June) announcement that the
Co-op was merging its two distribution centres at Chelston and
Portbury into a new centre in Avonmouth – and contracting out
the work at the new site to the transport and logistics company,
Norbert Dentressangle.
A total of 200 jobs will be affected at the two sites, which are
due to close in November 2012.
Unite national officer for retail distribution, Matt Draper,
said: “This is the thin end of the wedge and the slippery slope to
privatisation of the Co-op’s services. Clearly, this decision is
soiling the Co-op’s 19th century founding principles of mutuality
for the common good.”
Unite intends to raise this with the Co-operative MPs in the
Labour party - numbering about 30 - and also at the
Co-operative’s board meeting at the end of this month.
Matt Draper said that the Co-op was in breach of a previous
agreement that it would not go down the ‘contracting out’ route.
This follows the contracting out of work at the Andover
distribution centre in Hampshire two years ago, which the Co-op
said was a temporary measure in difficult economic times.
Matt Draper said: “The fact that the Co-op has got the
privatisation ‘bug’ is to be deplored. We believe that this will
lead to job losses and a diminution in the terms and conditions of
those still employed, with no guarantee that the level of service
to the local Co-op shops will be maintained.
“We are asking the Co-op to re-think its decision to outsource
this work to a private company - and will be seeking assurances
from the Co-op that the jobs, and terms and conditions of our
members will not be adversely affected.”
For further information, please contact Unite communications
officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693940.
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