The future pay and employment conditions of the 6,000 logistics workers set to be employed by XPO Logistics will be the overriding priority for Unite the union, following today’s (Monday 9 March) transfer announcement by their current employer Kuehne + Nagel UK.

The company wants to sell it logistics operations, embracing drinks, food services, retail and technology, to XPO Logistics. This move is separate from the consultation, already in motion, over the 1,500 workers on the Waitrose contract being transferred to XPO Logistics.

Unite national officer Joe Clarke said: “We appreciate that this is a worrying and uncertain time for our 4,500 members currently working on the Kuehne + Nagel UK contract.

“Their concerns about the transfer to XPO Logistics will be Unite’s overriding priority as the sale reaches its conclusion in about six months’ time.

“This announcement has come as a surprise, but we have been given assurances that all terms and conditions of employment will transfer across to XPO.

“We will be entering into talks with the company to ensure that those guarantees are set in stone. We will keep our members fully informed throughout this process.

“Unite won’t countenance any diminution in the ‘pay and employment conditions’ package that our members enjoy with their current employer Kuehne + Nagel UK.”