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Travis Perkins and Jewson could see deliveries disrupted if a strike by drivers at landscaping supplier Marshalls goes ahead.
A total of 110 drivers employed by Elland-based Marshalls are currently voting on possible strike action in a row about overtime pay. The ballot closes next Tuesday (May 17).
The drivers are members of trade union Unite, which said the dispute was about the disparity in overtime payments for drivers who deliver to customers from 14 manufacturing sites across the UK. Unite said the drivers receive time and a third for overtime worked, while manufacturing employees get time and a half.
Marshalls has accused the union of taking “a confrontational stance” regarding the overtime pay issue.
A statement from the company said: “Marshalls continues to try and understand the motivations and actions of Unite the Union and the confrontational stance that Unite has chosen to take with regard to an issue as yet untabled as a ‘dispute’.
“The issue of driver’s overtime was taken off the table by the union in December as part of a wider negotiation and as yet the union has not formally communicated with Marshalls, but has chosen to move directly to a ballot.
“Marshalls and Unite have a formal joint agreement which sets out how such issues should be handled. However, the union has chosen to ignore this.”
It added: “Marshalls is, of course, in communication with the affected employees to understand the issues raised. We understand that during the course of one such briefing heated words may have been exchanged by two individuals. Marshalls has a zero tolerance policy to workplace bullying or harassment and a very clear reporting procedure in place, However, as yet, no incident of bullying or harassment relating to this incident has been reported.”
