Morrisons staff british fruit and veg warehouse

Source: Morrisons

Morrisons staff at two of its seven UK distribution hubs are to go on strike after a vote by union members.

Staff at its Gadbrook and Wakefield warehouses, including stock controllers, cooks, canteen staff and administrators, voted overwhelmingly in favour of the two three days walkout, in a ballot by the Unite union.

The union claims changes to Morrisons pensions will leave staff around £500 worse off a year and and see other changes including the loss of a service award, which would result in workers being “significantly worse off” in their pay packets.

Approximately 1,000 Unite members were involved in the ballot, with nearly 97% in favour of the strikes, the first of which will begin on 23 May.

The second strike dates are 13-15 June.

The union predicted stores in north Wales and stores with small chilled goods warehousing capacity would be worst hit.

National officer Adrian Jones said: “Despite our best efforts over a number of meetings, it seems Morrisosn are not interested in resolving this dispute as they have refused to change their mind over the changes.

“Along with a number of other issues we have attempted to get management to see sense and find a way forward.”

The Morrisons strike vote comes with rival supermarket Asda facing industrial action today.

Almost 200 workers at Asda Lowestoft will strike for 48 hours in protests over cuts in hours, alleged health and safety issues, and the lack of collective bargaining with the GMB union.

GMB regional organiser Keith Dixon said: “Asda Lowestoft workers don’t want to go on strike. But they’ve been backed into a corner by the terrible problems they now face at work.

“Standards are falling – Asda faces thousands of health and safety breaches, including blocked fire exits, fire routes and fire extinguishers, along with faulty fire alarm systems.

“And with worker hours slashed, things are only going to get worse.”

Asda has strongly refuted the union’s claims and accused a small minority of GMB staff of being responsible for disruption in recent weeks.