DPD denies 'poor treatment' claims as union holds demo at Smethwick HQ

But DPD has hit back, denying all the claims.

Unite says it is staging the protest at Roebuck Lane because of claims of bullying from staff at the Hinckley site, where workers have reported that they have to ask their line manager for permission to use the toilet.

Some have even alleged that line managers have been refusing their requests to use the bathroom facilities.

Workers also claim they have to wait up to an hour after the end of their shift to leave the sorting facility while searches take place. Unite says that on some occasions people have to wait even longer before they can go home but do not get paid for the extra time onsite.

Unite says workers have also alleged bullying by line managers – using threatening behaviour to demand workers work harder and faster – and claims there have been reports of male security guards searching female workers.

In a statement DPD said: "We strongly refute any accusation of bullying in the workplace. "

"There has never been, and there never will be a requirement for staff to seek permission to go to the toilet at DPD.

"Regarding security, the hub is a high security environment due to the value of goods being carried. We use state-of-the-art, airport style walk-through scanners which negate the need for physical searches in the vast majority of cases. If a physical search is necessary for a female member of staff, it would always be carried out by a female member of the security team."

The statement conclued: "We don’t recognise any of the issues raised by Unite. We have a very open culture, where staff are welcome to raise any concerns directly with the management team. We also have a weekly forum where we meet with staff, and none of the issues mentioned by Unite have been raised directly with us. "

The union is calling for an urgent meeting with the company to resolve the problems workers are facing on a daily basis. It says DPD will not commit to recognising Unite on site in line with Unite’s national recognition agreement with the company.

Unite regional officer, Mark Pettifer said: “The demonstration outside DPD’s headquarters is in protest over allegations of the poor treatment of workers at one of Europe’s biggest parcel sorting facilities. In 2017 workers in the UK should not have to suffer the indignity of begging to use the bathroom.

“Workers also claim that they often have to wait up to an hour after clocking-off to leave the site while searches take place. On some occasions they have to wait even longer. That means workers remain at their place of work, unable to leave but they don’t get paid.

“Unite raised these reports two weeks ago but workers are still claiming that they have to ask permission to use the toilet. Unite is staging this protest to demand an urgent meeting to resolve the problems being reported and for management at the Hinckley site to recognise Unite.”