Tesco has hit back at claims that the company has unfairly attempted to change the terms and conditions of contractual workers at its Scottish distribution site.


Workers at the group’s Livingstone distribution centre, which serves the Tesco’s Scottish stores, are planning to stage a three-day strike beginning today (24 May) and continuing this weekend.


According to the UK’s Transport and General Workers Union, which represents the distribution workers, the dispute is over terms and conditions.


“Tesco is attempting to use the relocation of the distribution centre to force through changes to workers terms and conditions,” a T&G spokesperson told just-food.


However, Tesco has rejected the T&G’s criticism, emphasising that the majority of distribution workers have accepted the new contracts.

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A spokesperson said: “The T&G’s suggestion that drivers will lose contractual earnings is unsubstantiated. That more than 85% of our distribution employees have accepted the new terms and conditions is testament to the fact that they are fair and reasonable. We aren’t trying to change what we pay, just how we pay it.”


Tesco also denied reports of redundancies. “The suggestion that drivers have been sacked is also ludicrous – all have been offered alternative positions and rather than cutting numbers in Livingston, we are actually creating 1,000 new jobs,” distribution director Laurie McIlwee said.

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