Strike
action is on the cards at retailer Morrisons after the Transport & General
Workers Union (T&G) claimed that the supermarket chain is undermining basic
workers’ rights such as union recognition.
The
dispute surrounds a demand by Morrisons – which recently bought rival grocer
Safeway for around £3bn – that the T&G must accept binding arbitration.
The
union said the company had threatened to undermine its membership by offering
to recognise other unions, as long as they agree to a no-strike deal.
Brian
Revell, a T&G organiser, told the Daily Mirror, “The questions of whether
or not our members strike is not the issue. What is at stake is the right of
the members to stay in the union of their choice and to be able to exercise
their full rights as T&G members without interference from the company
management.”
A
Morrisons spokesman denied that it was withdrawing recognition of the union.
“We
are disappointed that the T&G has taken this course of action and that it
has so far avoided discussing this matter with us,” he told the daily
newspaper.
“We
want to ensure our employees have access to union membership with the benefit
of a sensible recognition agreement and we are now looking at the options
available.”
Ballots
on strike action are to take place at two distribution centres that serve 130
Morrisons stores.
