Motorists in Suffolk and Essex who use Morrisons petrol stations may find the pumps run dry next month if a dispute over a driver’s pay leads to industrial action.
A total of 19 drivers, employed by DHL Supply Chain, who deliver petrol across the region are being balloted for strike action after a driver was ‘docked’ £5,200 in wages over seven months following an accident trade union Unite says was not his fault.
The supermarket chain currently have petrol stations in Ipswich, Felixstowe, Lowestoft, Diss, Harwich, Clacton and Witham.
Unite, representing the driver, say the stores may only have one day’s stock of petrol so could run dry ‘very quickly’ if the dispute lasts for more than a few days.
Make-or-break talks between the union and the driver’s employer DHL supply chain will take place tomorrow.
The strike action ballot ends on Friday, January 27 and if it gets the go-ahead, industrial action could start on Saturday, February 4.
Paul Travers, Unite’s regional officer, said: “Motorists, customers of Morrisons, seeking fuel could be seriously affected.”
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