Pay row at transport firm threatens Mini production at Oxford plant

Supply chain solutions giant DP World said it was “in nobody’s interest” to start strike action after its HGV drivers working at the Mini car plant in Oxford said they would walk out next week in a row over pay.

The 41 drivers heading to the picket line are employed by DP World’s transport firm, Imperial Logistics, which handles operations at the BMW Mini plant. The Unite union said an overtime ban will commence on 14 November, followed by 14 days of strike action stretching into December.

It said the strike could be a threat to plant production, but it claimed the drivers were angry that Imperial intended to change shift patterns for lorry drivers and “impose a 20% cut in pay”.

Scott Kemp, Unite regional coordinating officer, said: “This strike is entirely the making of Imperial Logistics and we are urging their parent company and BMW to tell them to come back to the negotiating table and ensure our members' jobs, pay and conditions are protected.

“Otherwise, workers will have no choice but to head to the picket line.”

A spokesman for DP World said: “We are extremely disappointed that the drivers are taking industrial action when we have done everything we possibly can to safeguard jobs and guarantee wages.”

“To meet the needs of our business and our customer in a challenging economic environment, we put forward a reasonable offer which met what the union had itself requested. But their members did not accept the recommendation of their own union and have instead voted for strike action, which is in nobody’s best interests.”

The spokesman added: “We would urge the union’s members to reconsider their position.

“In the meantime, we have put in place contingency measures to ensure that everything possible is done to minimise any disruption to production if industrial action goes ahead and will continue to engage with the union’s leadership to resolve this issue.”

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