Merseyside Matalan warehouse workers strike in pay dispute

GMB members voted in favour of strike action at the store's distribution centre in Knowsley

About 500 Matalan warehouse workers have begun a 24-hour strike amid an ongoing row over pay.

Members of the GMB union at the clothes store's distribution centre in Knowsley, Merseyside, walked out at 14:00 BST.

The industrial action is the result of an "insulting pay offer," a GMB spokesman said.

Matalan said it was "deeply disappointed" that a "small portion of union members" voted for the strike.

Further strikes are expected to follow after last-minute talks failed on Monday morning, the GMB added.

Workers voted to walk out after management made a pay offer which would see some workers receive a rise of 1.5%, the equivalent to a real-term pay cut, the union said.

"It's not too late for management to listen to workers and get back round the table with us to work out a fair deal," GMB organiser Stephen Boden said.

Matalan said the 1.5% pay rise relates to around 25% of employees who work weekend shifts and will be an increase on their £11.14 pay rate.

But a spokesman for store said the majority of staff would receive a 4.7% pay increase and the offer - for all distribution centre staff on core shifts - was "the largest our company has ever offered without any other changes to T&Cs".

The spokesman added: "It is well above inflation and cost of living increases as well as amongst the highest offered in our sector."