Barbour faces four-week strike by warehouse staff

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/dec/30/barbour-strike-warehouse-staff-union-workers-hours

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Barbour is facing a four-week strike at its Gateshead warehouse in a dispute over changes to working hours.

The Unite union said about half the 135 warehouse workers were ready to walk out in protest against new contracts which would require them to work until 11pm and remove extra payment for unsocial hours. It said workers had been told they must sign up to the new deal by 30 January or face the sack.

“Barbour’s sign or be sacked ultimatum is bullying and anti-family. Many of the workers struggling to get by on less than the living wage are the sole breadwinner and have family or caring responsibilities,” said Unite’s regional officer Fazia Hussain-Brown. The union has accused the wax-jacket maker of putting full-time workers on similar terms to temporary staff.

The walkout, which is scheduled to start on 5 January, follows a week-long stoppage before Christmas. Unite said it still hoped to reach a negotiated settlement.

Barbour was not available for comment but has previously said it was offering a “substantial pay increase” for the move to new shift patterns, which were necessary to satisfy customer demand.

This year the dog-walkers’ favourite outfitter this year celebrated 50 years since the actor Steve McQueen wore a Barbour biking jacket as part of the US team in the 1964 International Six Day Trials.

The company employs 600 workers in the north-east England; its base in South Shields will not be affected by the strike.