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PEOPLE POWER ... Workers at the Argos Distribution Centre manning their picket line during strike action
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Argos staff in wages protest
Emma Ferguson24/ 7/2008
ONLY around 10 workers at the Argos Distribution Centre dared to cross the picket line last Thursday as 350 of their colleagues went out on strike.
The workers, most of whom earn around £17,000 a year, took industrial action after their union, Unite, rejected a four per cent pay increase offer, which they claim comes with unfair conditions, such as changes to sick pay and a move from weekly to monthly pay, with no compensation.
Gary Unsworth, union convener and branch secretary at Heywood Argos, said: "We have had a good response.
"We want better things for people so we always have hope that things can be resolved favourably.
"Some drivers have been suspended and sent home because they refused to cross the picket.
"They had to call out for agency drivers and a lot were telling us they wouldn’t have come if they had known we were on strike."
Mr Unsworth estimated that at times during the day there had been around 120 people picketing outside the entrance to Heywood Distribution Centre on Pilsworth Road.
Mr Unsworth, who has worked at the centre since it opened 10 years ago, added: "We had great support from the public of Heywood and surrounding areas. They have been beeping their car horns. The picket has been orderly."
Unite national secretary, Jennie Formby said: "The solid support for this strike is a clear message to Argos that our members are not prepared to accept a pay offer which is essentially a pay cut.
"The strength of the turnout is a clear indication that Argos faces disruption to their customer services.
"The Home Retail Group has made record profits and the Argos distribution workers helped to save over £10m for the group in the last 14 months alone.
"We are ready and willing to negotiate and have even offered to invite the conciliation service ACAS to help with the negotiations but so far the company have not taken up this offer."
If the union’s conditions are not met the workers will be out on strike again today (Thursday) and they will begin a four-day walkout from Thursday, July 31.
Argos spokeswman Sarah Leatherbarrow said: "We remain confident that the pay offer of four per cent is a very good one.
"It compares extremely favourably with other retailers and with pay increases across the rest of the company.
"Stores and deliveries were largely unaffected by the strike action and we would like to reassure our customers that the effect of any future strike action on our customers’ shopping experience, both in our stores and online, will be minimal."
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26/07/2008 at 15:26
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