UK Mail and GMB clash over drivers’ pay
UK Mail has responded to claims made by the union GMB regarding drivers’ pay and conditions.
In a statement posted on its website yesterday (29 January), GMB claimed that UK Mail (which is now owned by DHL) “has told drivers based at 55 sites around the country to sign a contract, under duress, detailing a £2,000 pay cut – or their services will no be longer required”.
The GMB statement continued: “At the Runcorn depot, drivers were called in one by one into the office on Friday January 12.
“They were each asked to sign new contracts and told if they did not they would not be working for DHL/UK Mail by Monday.
“Drivers asked for time to look through the new contracts, but were told the contacts had to be signed before the end of their shift.
“The new contracts amounted to a pay cut of £2,000 per driver.”
However, UK Mail has disputed the GMB’s statement – arguing that drivers’ earnings have actually gone up.
In a statement sent to Post&Parcel today, UK Mail said: “Due to a significant increase in the number of parcels UK Mail is carrying, the earnings of self-employed drivers, who are paid per delivery stop, have gone up correspondingly over the last year and that volume is forecast to increase further in 2018.
“To be able to offer customers the competitive prices they demand, we have renegotiated our parcel delivery rate with drivers. But due to the increase in volumes carried by each courier the overall amount they can earn will on average go up without having to travel further or incur additional costs.”
Hi I have worked for UK Mail for just over 3 years. This is the second time in less than a year that they have cut our rates, 3% in April 2017 and now by another 4%. I have just gone back and compared what I did last January compared to this January and I am doing on average less drops a day now than compared to this time last year. I am doing 1 less postcode than I did last year but as this was a small built up area compared to what I am left with I am in fact doing more miles. So their claims do not seem to add up.
I have worked for uk Mail for 18 years and it is disgusting the way they treat there courier drivers. I’ve had a pay cut every year for the last 5 years each one about £2000 every time . We’ve now been told we have to work Saturdays no excuses for less than the minimum wage . I’m so glad this company are been shown how bad they really are .