I've been to tesco today and there was a group of union members demonstrating who passed me a leaflet. The leaflet claims that tesco is sacking the drivers. I was under the impression that they were making them redundant and offering above statutory redundancy payments. With that in mind is the claim of 'being sacked' libelous?
Companies don't have the same rights to sue for libel as individuals as they have no feelings, and companies already have lots of other protections to protect their business interests - I don't think they are barred altogether from bringing libel cases, but in the grand scheme of things, a local demo isn't going to harm the business interests or reputation of a company the size of Tesco, so no.
Without knowing this case in detail,what has happened in the Brewery trade is that they make the lads redundant,they then have the chance to be employed by another company, (I assume one that has put in the lowest tender,or shares some of the same directors)to do the same job,and are then engaged with much worse pension rights and fringe benefits............when these companies are making millions it's a s**t way of conducting business,and treating loyal staff.
What's happening at tesco as I understand it is that tesco give the contract for distribution to Eddie Stobbart who took over the contracts of all tesco's existing distribution delivery drivers. They then decided that they could run it more efficiently by using their existing distribution network rather than keeping tesco's so they planned to make all the tesco drivers redundant and have the normal stobbart guys doing it. They offered more than the statutary minimum redundancy payments and also offered jobs for the drivers which were 'up to 20 miles away' from the existing site according to the union guy. The drivers turned down these options and have gone on strike. That's from what I've heard on the radio and read anyway.
I actually thought what Eddie Stobart were doing was illegal. The Tesco contract was outsourced to Eddie Stobart, so a transfer of employees under TUPE agreement. I didn't think they were allowed to change the terms and conditions or lay people off for 12 months.
We got a leaflet through the post about it yesterday. It said that they were sacking the "loyal drivers with over 20 years with Tesco" for other individuals who will work at a lower pay rate than the current ones do.
