Erith, Ipswich and Watford depot workers regain bargaining rights after unilateral withdrawal last year

Unite, the UK’s leading union, has restored statutory recognition at three Milk & More depots, completing a remarkable campaign that has restored collective bargaining rights for workers less than a year after the company terminated its national voluntary recognition agreement.

Workers at the Erith, Ipswich and Watford depots can now call on union support for pay and conditions negotiations, health and safety representation and advice in the workplace.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "This is an outstanding victory for our members and for every worker who believed they deserved an independent voice at work.

“This shows there is power in a union and demonstrates what workers can achieve when they work together. Unite will now be actively looking at other Milk and More depots and at the next round of pay negotiations."

In April 2025, Milk & More terminated its long-standing national recognition agreement with Unite and shopworkers union USDAW, with recognition formally ending in October 2025. Unite launched a strategic organising campaign to rebuild representation within the business and pursued a new statutory route by submitting separate applications to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) seeking recognition.

Milk & More opposed the applications throughout the CAC process, challenging Unite's proposed bargaining units and requiring the cases to proceed to a full hearing. Following that hearing, the CAC accepted Unite's proposed bargaining units in all three cases, allowing independent recognition ballots to proceed.

Workers at each depot subsequently voted in favour of Unite conducting collective bargaining on their behalf.

Unite regional officer Perry Wright said: "This victory belongs to our workplace representatives, activists and members who spent months organising, recruiting, speaking to colleagues and demonstrating the value of collective bargaining. Their determination has restored workers' voices in the workplace.

“We now look forward to working constructively with Milk & More to build positive industrial relations and negotiate on behalf of our members."

The campaign demonstrates that workers can successfully organise and secure statutory recognition through the CAC, even after a voluntary recognition agreement has been withdrawn.