Wilko strike: Two new 24-hour strikes announced

Two earlier strikes have already been announced by the union

Two new strikes by warehouse workers at high street homeware retailer Wilko have been announced.

About 1,800 staff at two warehouses are due to walk out for 24 hours on 21 and 22 October, effectively making it a two-day stoppage.

Workers in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, and Magor, Monmouthshire, voted last month to strike over what the GMB called "brutal" new rotas.

The new stoppages will follow action on 11 and 14 October.

The dispute centres on the introduction of new seven-day rotas.

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Gary Carter, GMB national officer, said: "These brutal rotas just won't work, and seven-day deliveries have not improved availability in store.

"Wilko has struggled with stock, transport and there aren't enough employees in store to get goods on the shelves.

"Wilko needs to change the rotas and rebuild its relationship with the workforce."

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

But a spokesman for the firm said they "don't believe industrial action is in anyone's best interests" but had "robust" plans in place to cope.

They added: "We're the last of the major retailers to introduce regular weekend working in our distribution centres as a result of customer demand for seven days a week shopping.

"We want to support our team members in responding to the 24/7 reality of retailing today while also helping them to spend as much time as possible with their families."

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