News / Angry Imperial Logistics drivers vote for strike action at Mini production plant

Photo 8142872 © Patrick Allen | Dreamstime.com

Production of the world-famous Mini car at its factory in Oxfordshire could be hit next week, after drivers working for one of the BMW-owned manufacturer’s logistics contractors voted for strike action.

Members of the Unite union also voted in favour of an overtime ban from 14 November, as well as promising further weeks of strike action during November and December, in response to DP World-owned Imperial Logistics’ plan to change shift patterns.

Union leaders say Imperial’s proposals will result in drivers facing a 20% pay cut, or possibly redundancies.

Unite said 41 drivers would man a picket line this month “unless Imperial, and its parent company, come back to the table and ensure no reduction in pay, no job losses and no abuse of the banked hours scheme”.

However, the company told The Loadstar that the vote in favour of industrial action at Imperial was actually against the union’s own recommendations: “To meet the needs of our business and our customer in a challenging economic environment, we put forward a reasonable offer which met what the union had itself requested.

“But their members did not accept the recommendation of their own union and have instead voted for strike action which is in nobody’s best interests,” a spokesperson said.

The dispute has raised echoes of the 800 jobs lost – and subsequent public relations debacle – at DP World-owned P&O Ferries.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Imperial and DP World have a history of poor labour relations and this is yet another example of a company putting profits before workers.

“Our members won’t stand for such behaviour, and Unite will have their backs every step of the way in their fight,” she added.

“This strike is entirely the making of Imperial Logistics, and we are urging the parent company and BMW to tell them to come back to the negotiating table and ensure our members’ jobs, pay and conditions are protected,” said Unite regional coordinating officer Scott Kemp.

“Otherwise, workers will have no choice but to head to the picket line,” he added.

A spokesperson for DP World said: “We are extremely disappointed that the drivers are taking industrial action when we have done everything we possibly can to safeguard jobs and guarantee wages.”

“We would urge the union’s members to reconsider their position. In the meantime, we have put in place contingency measures to ensure that everything possible is done to minimise any disruption to production if industrial action goes ahead and will continue to engage with the union’s leadership to resolve this issue,” they added.

The strike dates announced are: 14, 16, 20, 21, 23, 27, 28 and 30 November and 4, 6, 7, 11, 13, 14 December.

DP World acquired South African Imperial Logistics in late 2021 in a deal worth around $890m, a takeover that was seen as a key step in its vertical integration strategy.