YODEL staff could walk out over a 'mean spirited' pay rise unless bosses up their offer.

Workers who are members of GMB Scotland say they have been working under festive season levels of pressure throughout the six months of the coronavirus crisis.

With other key workers being given pay rises, Yodel staff say they are being insultingly short changed.

Now GMB Scotland has cast an consultative ballot to see what appetite there is for industrial action.

John Slaven, GMB Assistant Organiser, said: “This Yodel offer is mean spirited to Yodel workers who have been in the frontline during the covid-19 crisis.

“There can hardly be a street in Scotland that a Yodel driver have not delivered to in the previous six months.

“Yet they have been offered a pay rise barely half offered to workers in the public sector.

“Yodel will need to change their ways and listen to these frontline workers if they are to avoid industrial action.”

Union bosses say Yodel staff are forgotten key workers who have been overwhelmed with the volume of deliveries at levels higher than Christmas volumes.

GMB Scotland claims the pay offer would amount to a 1.6% increase in pay.

The union organises in depots in Bellshill, Perth, Livingston and Kilmarnock is confident there will be a rejection of the offer.

One staff member, who asked not to be named, said: "We are running at peak levels just now but we have been running at peak since March.

"But the staff feel they are getting no recognition for this.

"It is exhausting.

"There are around 70 union members at my depot and almost every one of them has had enough."

The company has put forward a two-year deal starting from July 2020 to June 2022 with a 2% increase in the first year and a 1.5% increase in the second year.

GMB Scotland says the rise should be backdated to April 2020 as last year's pay rise was a nine month deal to March 2020.

Organisers say the 2% increase is worth only 1.6% because of the lack of pay increase from April to June 2020.

A spokesman for Yodel said: “We are keen to reward our staff for their valued service, and have been negotiating with our recognised trade unions to finalise a pay offer.

“This offer has now been put to the members and we look forward to hearing the outcome of the ballot in due course.”