A union has warned of shortages in the run up to Christmas as Tesco employees are balloted about potential strike action over pay.
Trade Union Usdaw has started two formal industrial action ballots covering staff at the leading supermarket's nine distribution centres after members overwhelmingly rejected the company’s latest offers.
Staff are being balloted on Monday, November 22, over whether further action should be taken.
Joanne McGuinness, Usdaw National Officer confirmed: "Our members in nine distribution centres have rejected Tesco’s latest pay offers, so we are balloting them on industrial action.
“Retail distribution workers are key workers who delivered essential services throughout the pandemic, which in turn delivered a 16.5% increase in profit to Tesco for the first half of the year.
"These workers deserve a decent pay rise as their reward for what they have done and continue to do day in day out; couple that with the rising cost of living and inflation currently running at 6%, the company needs to do better."
She added: "The potential of industrial action and possible stock shortages in stores in the week before Christmas can be avoided, if the company comes back to the table with a better offer that is acceptable to our members."
The two disputes involve nine Tesco distribution centres at: Hinckley, Daventry, Goole, Lichfield, Livingston, Magor (both trunk and main site), Peterborough and Southampton.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that a decision has been taken to ballot for potential industrial action at a number of our distribution sites.
"We have put forward a fair and competitive pay offer to our colleagues, which is one of the highest awards made within our distribution business in the last 25 years."
The ballots will run between today, November 22, and Monday, December 6.
If members vote in favour it is intended that, unless the company makes an improved offer, strike action will take place in the week of 20 December.
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