It has been reported today that members from Britain’s largest union, Unite, are planning to strike over plans to move 96 drivers from Argos in-house roles to its supply chain company Eddie Stobart.

Voting figures show that 75% were in favour of strike action and 80% for industrial action.
Employees at Argos raised concerns that if 96 of the 420 drivers were initially transferred to Eddie Stobart, the rest would follow "with possible detrimental effects on pay, employment conditions and job security".

The strike will start at midnight next Tuesday and last for six days and will end around 6am on 12th June.

Paresh Patel, Unite regional coordinating officer, said: "The strength of the mandate for industrial action reinforces our members' clearly stated desire to remain employed by Argos. The management can avoid this action by rescinding the decision to outsource the drivers to Eddie Stobart.

"If Argos persists in its hard line against the drivers, Unite will be demanding two things. Firstly, that our members are offered decent severance packages should they wish not to work for ESL.
"Secondly, those drivers who do transfer have their pay, and terms and conditions protected for at least three years under the TUPE arrangements [Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)].

"Finally, we want Argos management to engage with Unite well in advance in future should they be considering similar plans for the rest of the workforce. If the bosses had come to Unite in the first place, we could have put forward counter-proposals that may have averted this strike action."
Patel added: "Unite's door remains open for talks and even at this eleventh hour we urge Argos to get around the table for talks for the sake of its employees, its customers and its reputation as an employer."