Members of the Unite union are set to strike at Lockwood Haulage, a logistics firm which delivers glass bottles used by major brands including Coca-Cola, Budweiser, Stella, and Heineken, potentially causing supply disruption.
Around 40 workers at the sites in Knottingley and South Kirby, West Yorkshire, will undertake all-out strike action next month in a dispute over pay. They have rejected a 1% increase, applied across all grades and allowances, backdated to 1 March 2025.
Unite noted that Lockwood has also said it will introduce an attendance-based bonus scheme instead of pay increases. This would be £250 each quarter if they meet the attendance criteria, which workers believe will leave them worse off financially.
The union highlighted that the workers, who previously worked for GXO before being transferred in March 2025 in a TUPE agreement, have not had a pay rise since October 2023.
Unite said it has attended multiple meetings to try to reach an agreement, but Lockwood has failed to resolve the issue.
The union’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The fact that workers have not had a pay rise in nearly three years is an absolute insult and to be now offered a measly one per cent is a further kick in the teeth.
“Moving away from yearly increases to a bonus scheme is simply another way to shortchange our members at Lockwood. Unite will not allow this unacceptable attack on pay, and our members have our full support in their industrial action.”
The Unite members are forklift truck drivers and machine operators in its glass division. They will walk out in an all-out strike from 2nd September.
The strike is expected to have a major impact on Lockwood’s customer Ardagh Glass and the brands it supplies, which also include whiskey brands Jameson and Johnnie Walker.
Unite regional officer Jessica Sangha said: “Any strike action is completely the fault of Lockwood management, who have insulted our members with this paltry pay offer.
“Industrial action can be avoided, but that relies on Lockwood coming back with improvements to the pay offer which our members will find acceptable.”