Banbury's Tesco stores could face 'empty shelves' as staff are balloted for strike
Banbury's Tesco stores ‘could face empty shelves' as staff are balloted for strike action, a union says.
Unite says Tesco stores across UK could be affected if a solution is not found to a pay deadlock between the company and warehouse and distribution drivers.
More than 3,000 workers, who move Tesco supplies around the country from Didcot, Doncaster, Thurrock and Belfast, are demanding the same payrise as store staff.
The request comes as Tesco ‘continues to rake in massive profits’ the union says.
The workers have rejected a four per cent pay rise, considerably below the 5.1 per cent given to store staff. They have voted overwhelmingly in a consultative ballot in favour of strike action.
Tesco reported adjusted operating profits of £3.2 billion for 2025/26 and forecasts an adjusted operating profit of between £3 billion and £3.3 billion for 2026/27.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Tesco is making massive profits and paying out millions in shareholder dividends and executive pay while their own workers are left to struggle with a baked in cost-of-living crisis.
“If the bosses at Tesco won’t give their warehouse workers and HGV drivers a fair piece of the pie, they could soon start to see empty shelves in their shops across the country. Unite will be backing these workers 100 per cent.”
Unite national officer for road transport and logistics, Adrian Jones, said: “There is still time for industrial action to be avoided but that will require Tesco making an acceptable offer.”
Banbury Tesco stores are in Lockheed Close, High Street and Middleton Road.
The ballot closes on August 17. Tesco has been asked to comment.