DPD Driver Sacked 'For Speaking Out' Against Pay Cuts as Firm Tries to Punish Staff for Criticizing Plans
A delivery firm has faced accusations of "revenge" after it fired dozens of self-employed drivers who spoke out against plans to cut thousands of pounds from their earnings. DPD, which reported nearly £200m in pre-tax profits last year, had planned to slash the rate its drivers were paid by 65p on September 29, sparking widespread outrage among staff.
The company's move was seen as a significant blow to workers who will now face up to £6,000 less per year or as much as £8,000 for those with more deliveries during Christmas. The planned cut and loss of a £500 bonus were widely condemned by drivers, many of whom decided not to take on any work for three days in protest.
In response to the worker's action, DPD agreed to defer the pay cuts until after Christmas but insisted they would still go ahead as planned. However, within weeks of the meeting, drivers have reported being fired or having their contracts terminated by management, who claim that some individuals breached a gagging clause or engaged in "newsworthy event" or "anything which could damage the firm's interests".
The firings have sparked accusations of revenge against workers who dared to speak out against the company's plans. One driver, Dean Hawkins, was involved in organizing the protest and was told by a DPD manager that he had been fired for breaching a gagging clause. He believes this was an act of retaliation for highlighting the firm's plans.
Critics have called on the government to change the law to protect workers like those affected by DPD's actions, saying it is "outrageous" to penalize staff for making representations against detrimental changes to their terms and conditions.
A delivery firm has faced accusations of "revenge" after it fired dozens of self-employed drivers who spoke out against plans to cut thousands of pounds from their earnings. DPD, which reported nearly £200m in pre-tax profits last year, had planned to slash the rate its drivers were paid by 65p on September 29, sparking widespread outrage among staff.
The company's move was seen as a significant blow to workers who will now face up to £6,000 less per year or as much as £8,000 for those with more deliveries during Christmas. The planned cut and loss of a £500 bonus were widely condemned by drivers, many of whom decided not to take on any work for three days in protest.
In response to the worker's action, DPD agreed to defer the pay cuts until after Christmas but insisted they would still go ahead as planned. However, within weeks of the meeting, drivers have reported being fired or having their contracts terminated by management, who claim that some individuals breached a gagging clause or engaged in "newsworthy event" or "anything which could damage the firm's interests".
The firings have sparked accusations of revenge against workers who dared to speak out against the company's plans. One driver, Dean Hawkins, was involved in organizing the protest and was told by a DPD manager that he had been fired for breaching a gagging clause. He believes this was an act of retaliation for highlighting the firm's plans.
Critics have called on the government to change the law to protect workers like those affected by DPD's actions, saying it is "outrageous" to penalize staff for making representations against detrimental changes to their terms and conditions.
They're basically punishing people for speaking out about something they care about. I mean, can you imagine if the company had just announced a major pay cut and then fired anyone who complained? It's like they're trying to silence workers' voices on behalf of their own interests.
I'm telling you, this whole thing stinks. Like, what's really going on here? These drivers spoke up about unfair pay cuts and now they're getting silenced...literally. Fired or having their contracts terminated? That's just suspicious. It looks like DPD is trying to cover its tracks, make it look like the workers were in the wrong for speaking out. 
DPD THINKS THEY CAN JUST FIRE PEOPLE FOR SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THEIR PLANS? IT'S LIKE THEY'RE TRYING TO BULLY WORKERS INTO SILENCE! 
The idea of a gagging clause is just ridiculous, it's not like anyone was forced to participate in the protest. The fact that they're trying to punish people for doing what many would consider a fundamental right (to express themselves) is just wrong. 
It's like they think workers are their personal slaves or something! 
like what even is the point of having a company if not to protect ur employees? 
dpd's move was basically saying "hey we're gonna make more money but u can just suffer" 
this is so low-key unacceptable 
this is what happens when greed wins over humanity, and we need to stand up against companies like DPD who don't care about their employees' well-being 
I mean, who needs a good reputation or decent employees when you can just eliminate the ones who know how your company really works? 
And yeah, totally not revenge for firing all those drivers who protested against pay cuts... that's just a coincidence. 
dpd needs to get its act together & treat its drivers with respect 
they're not just delivery guys, they're people too! 
the idea that they can just fire ppl for speaking out against unfair plans is wild 
he's a total legend for taking a stand & now he's getting the recognition he deserves 
These drivers were already worried about making ends meet, and now DPD is taking it upon themselves to cut thousands of pounds from their earnings without even asking the workers how they'd be affected. It's just unfair 
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. Newsflash: it's not gonna work that way. The government needs to step in and protect workers' rights, especially when it comes to something as basic as a fair wage. What's next? Punishing people for having an opinion or reporting workplace issues? That's just crazy 
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DPD should be giving them a raise or at least some kind of support during these tough times. Instead, they're punishing people for trying to make their voices heard. It's just not cool. 
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