Thousands of workers at Asda distribution centres around the UK have voted to strike over a dispute with the chain over pay and bargaining rights.

According to the GMB union, which represents about 40 per cent of the staff at the RDCs, around three quarters of those who voted backed a walkout.

A GMB executive meeting today will discuss the course action will take.

The decision to ask workers to vote revolved around GMB's dispute with Asda over the company's refusal to allow it to negotiate nationally for its staff at all Asda depots. Asda says that local collective bargaining takes place at nine of its 24 UK depots.

The two sides also disagree about profit-related bonus pay.

David Smith of Asda said: "It makes us really sad the GMB's threatening strike action when there's already a great offer on the table that could lead to collective bargaining at all our depots, if that's what the majority of our colleagues tell us they want.

"We simply want to give all our people the chance to decide what type of union agreement, if any, they want at their site, not just the minority that are members of the union."

The GMB said it could take legal action against any employment agency which supplies staff to Leeds-based Asda in the event of a strike. GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said: "Using agency labour during an official trade dispute is illegal and GMB will not allow Asda Wal-Mart to run a coach and horses through UK labour law."

He said any attempt by outside agencies to interfere in "lawful industrial action" by GMB members would be "responded to with full vigour".

The union members who were balloted work as HGV drivers and warehouse picker and loaders at 20 Asda Wal-Mart distribution depots.

The depot sites include Bedford, Chepstow, Dartford, Didcot, Erith, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Ince George in Wigan, Lymedale Staffordshire, Lutterworth in Leicestershire, Portbury in Bristol, Skelmersdale, Teesport, Wakefield, and Washington.

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