Wilko strike: Workers announce dates for walkout

Wilko workers will walk out next month over a new weekend rota system

About 1,800 Wilko workers are due to walk out next month to protest against a new weekend working rota.

GMB Union said its members at the chain's two distribution centres at Worksop, Nottinghamshire, and Magor, Monmouthshire, will not work for 24 hours from 06:00 on 11 October to the same time on 14 October.

They had agreed to a walkout earlier this month.

A Wilko spokesman said it has "robust" plans in place to cope.

"We don't believe industrial action is in anyone's best interests at this challenging time for the high street and retail in general," they added.

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Wilko was founded in Leicester in 1930, and has been run by the Wilkinson family ever since.

It said it has given 400 staff members an extra weekend off ahead of its peak trading period, and offered a guarantee of two in three weekends off outside of peak trading from January 2020.

Gary Carter, GMB national officer, said the union has "done everything we can" to negotiate over increased weekend working, but said the offer from managers "is not acceptable".

"It is sad that it has come to this," he said.

"Wilko has always considered itself a family company yet they're forcing contracts on staff that will seriously impose on family time and workers' wellbeing."

The distribution centre in Worksop will see 1,200 people walk out