distribution
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in transport and distribution around the world.
Spain: Mercadona supermarket strike
Workers at the logistics centre in Sant Sadurni d'Anoia, Barcelona of the Spanish Supermarket chain Mercadona are entering the fourth month of their indefinite strike.
The strike is organised by the CNT anarcho-syndicalist trade union.
Mercadona, whose slogan translates as "supermarkets of trust", is Spain's biggest national supermarket chain by sales, with 990 outlets across the country and 54,000 workers. The company likes to pride itself on its claim that 100% of its staff have permanent contracts.
Asda Wal-Mart national strike ballot
GMB Asda Wal-Mart depots launch national strike ballot following refusal of collective bargaining rights and non payment of 2005 bonuses.
GMB shop stewards at a meeting today in Manchester voted unanimously to commence the balloting process for a national strike in Asda Wal-Mart to secure collective bargaining at the 20 distribution depots and to secure payment of the 2005 bonus and safe work rates.
Spain: Supermarket strike in Barcelona to enter second month
This Saturday the 22nd of April will mark the end of the first month of an indefinite strike in Barcelona by workers at the Sant Sadurni d'Anoia logistics centre for the major Spanish Supermarket chain Mercadona.
The dispute began with the sacking of three members of the anarcho-syndicalist union the CNT working at the centre, the culmination of a campaign of threats by the company against workers unionising at the centre. Even before a strike was declared the company brought in scab workers, attempting to preempt the actions of their own employees.
1995: The JJ Foods Strike
On October 31st 95, forty five workers at JJ Fast Food Distribution Ltd. in Tottenham were sacked for joining the T&G.
JJ FOODS STRIKE
Finland: indefinite transport strike to start
Workers at 21 road haulage firms, 56 bus companies and ten warehouse terminals are to go on indefinite strike in Finland from Sunday, 6pm.
Around 11,000 workers, members of the Transport Workers' Union will be striking.
The strike is likely to affect around 50% of long-distance bus services, and many local services in cities. It may also affect port operations and goods distribution, and waste collection.
Asda distribution depots set to strike
Workers at Asda distribution depots across the UK are set to strike.
The GMB union is balloting thousands of members in the company's 19 distribution depots which supply the entire supermarket depot, after talks over a dispute at the Dartford depot broke down late last week.
EZ Supply workers in Queens vote to unionise with the IWW
The Industrial Workers of the World chalked up another victory in an National Labour Relations Board election on Thursday, 9 February, at E-Z Supply Corp., a wholesale distributor of restaurant supplies and foodstuffs, located in Queens, New York.
The nominal vote was close, with sixteen votes for the union and fifteen against, but the "no" votes included six office workers whom management inappropriately tried to include in the bargaining unit. Among the warehouse workers, fork-lift operators, truck drivers, and helpers who make up the unit petitioned for by the union, the vote was sixteen to nine.
New York: EZ supply workers go IWW
Deep in the gritty, industrial district of North Brooklyn/Queens, 15 workers of EZ Supply started the new year right by marching to their workplace and demanding that their highly abusive boss sign a petition recognizing the IWW as their union.
Little over a month earlier they had come to the workers’ night at Make The Road by Walking, and told of working long hours without being paid overtime, which ultimately amounted to being paid less than minimum wage. Sometimes the trucks would finally be loaded to the top at 3 p.m., and the workers would be told that all 25 stops in Manhattan had to be made.
Strike wave sweeps India
India has seen a wave of strikes this month
Toyota workers strike over wages in Bangalore
Lorry drivers strike over welfare fund, Kerala
Taxi and Autorickshaw fare strike, Kerala
Junior Doctors strike over violence and police brutality, Uttar Pradesh
Tesco fuel drivers to strike over jobs
Transport workers delivering fuel to Tesco forecourts are to stage a two-day strike in a row over jobs.
The Transport and General Workers Union said drivers based at Purfleet in Essex, Avonmouth and Cardiff will walk out next Wednesday and Thursday.
The 140 drivers fear their jobs, pay and conditions are under threat because of plans to transfer their employment from Wincanton to another firm, TDG.
On Thursday, TGWU spokesman Ron Webb confirmed the action would take place.
