Staff at Coca-Cola bottle supplier vote to strike

Around 40 workers at a West Yorkshire haulage firm which supplies Coca-Cola and a number of major beer manufacturers have voted to go on strike.

Unite the Union said staff at Lockwood Haulage Ltd, based in Knottingley and South Kirkby would walk out indefinitely from next Wednesday, 2 September.

Unite said forklift truck drivers and machine operators in Lockwood's glass division voted to walk out in a dispute over pay and plans to introduce an attendance-based bonus scheme.

Lockwood has been contacted for comment.

The company, which is headquartered in Derbyshire, supplies large drinks brands including Coca Cola, Budweiser, Stella and Heineken, according to Unite.

The union said workers had rejected an offered pay rise of 1% and that the company's plan to bring in a bonus scheme linked to attendance would leave staff "financially worse off".

Unite regional officer Jessica Sangha said: "Any strike action is completely the fault of Lockwood management, who have insulted our members with this paltry pay offer.

"Industrial action can be avoided, but that relies on Lockwood coming back with improvements to the pay offer which our members will find acceptable."

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