Warehouse and office workers at Tesco’s distribution centre in Dagenham, east London, struck for 24 hours from 17-18 May.
The workers, who are members of the Usdaw union, are demanding a 15% pay increase. Tesco bosses have offered 3%. The workers’ claim would equate to a £1.39/hour increase.
The logistics sector is strategically crucial to the capitalist economy, but unions, where they have members, have tended to be conservative.
The Dagenham centre employs around 1,000 workers. A significant number of the workers are Eastern European migrants. Strikers organised a relatively large picket line presence of around 80.
• For a longer report, giving in-depth background to the dispute and the workplace, see the Notes from Below website:
notesfrombelow.org
