Full-time workers at courier service Yodel have been told they will not receive their Christmas wages until January, leaving many out of pocket during the most expensive month of the year.
Permanent staff at the firm, including at its quarter-of-a-mile-long Hatfield depot, will receive their wages in 2020 - despite many workers in the sector benefitting from early pay.
However, temporary employees at Yodel will continue to be paid every two weeks - meaning their earnings will be transferred between Christmas and New Year.
Union GMB has previously criticised Yodel, owned by the billionaire Barclay brothers, for asking for 0% finance on redundancies.
It has also come under fire for forcing self-employed drivers to sign a new contract that keeps them at the company for 28 days to avoid the threat of no further work and contract termination.
Steve Garelick, London regional organiser said: "GMB know some companies love to play the role of Scrooge over the festive period and say ‘Bah humbug!’ when it comes to paying their staff on time. In this case Yodel are putting pounds before people.
"Yodel may find that GMB members feel such behaviour is counter-productive, after all a happy workforce is a productive workforce. Perhaps Yodel management have missed this in their management manuals"
Mike Hancox, CEO of Yodel, commented: “Reflective of Yodel’s new business operation, earlier this year we informed employees and trade unions about updates to our payment processes.
"This meant that, from September, monthly pay has been credited to our employees on the first day of each month, or the next working day. The changes mean that our employees were paid on December 2nd 2019, and will next be paid on January 2nd 2020.
“Recognising that these changes may have had an impact on colleagues as they adjust to the new payment period, where necessary we have worked with them to help minimise any potential disruption.”
