4 July 2023
RMT Press Office:
Catering workers will take 48 hours strike action from tomorrow evening in a row over pay.
The workers who are employed by contractor DHL provide the catering stores for Avanti trains.
They have not been offered a pay rise despite the cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation.
DHL has pleaded poverty claiming they cannot afford a rise despite the fact its global business was worth £81bn last year.
Instead of trying to settle the dispute by negotiating with RMT, DHL management have sent communications to staff using an intimidatory tone, instructing them not to speak to the media about their human right to take strike action.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "DHL members want pay justice from an employer who can easily settle this dispute with a decent offer.
"It is the workers at DHL in catering and elsewhere that create the combined billions in wealth that shareholders and directors at the company enjoy.
"Our members are determined and resolute and will not be swayed from taking more action in the future by threatening letters from a greedy company."
END
Notes:
- DHL is one of the biggest logistics firms in Britain and its global business was worth £81 billion last year. In 2021, it paid its shareholders £1.7 billion in dividends.
- Avanti, who buy in the service from DHL, can also afford it. They paid their owners, FirstGroup, £13.5 million in dividends last year from profits from the West Coast franchise.
- The 48 hour strike starts at 10pm on Wednesday 5 July and ends at 9.59pm Friday 7 July.
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