Imperial Tobacco workers revolt over Nottingham Workplace Parking Levy

Employees at Imperial Tobacco in Nottingham have commenced taking industrial action against the company’s decision to pass on the cost of the city council’s workplace parking levy. According to union GMB, the action comprises an overtime ban that began at midnight on 30 April and will last a week, followed by an indefinite work-to-rule action where employees will only carry out the minimum amount of work required of them. GMB claimed that Imperial intends to pass on the annual £192 plus VAT charge to employees.

However, the firm said that it will only pass on £120, which would be tax-free for staff and equate to a net annual cost of around £80 per person, or £1.50 a week. Imperial also stated that employees willing to participate in one voluntary day of training relevant to the business or a day’s work for a registered charity of their choice would be exempt from the charge. But GMB regional officer Chris Needham responded that while employees had been asked to do 20 hours of voluntary work in exchange for payment of the WPL, it wasn’t worth the equivalent time in pay.

Imperial claimed the action would have “limited impact on operations”, but Needham countered: “Imperial works on the goodwill of our members. They’re losing the usual flexibility and that will impinge on the company. "When you’ve got a CEO who brags he could pay his employees 10 times as much then you can see the ilk of the people we’re dealing with.”