Asda is facing further industrial action as a formal strike ballot opens at its Skelton superstore in York today (15 August).

The consultative ballot, which will close on 9 September, follows five previous consultative ballots which, according to Asda, have failed due to lack of support among colleagues.

While GMB Union claims workers at the Skelton site are concerned over issues including health and safety and a loss of working hours in the store, the store has confirmed to Asda that there are no health and safety breaches or reduction in colleague hours.

GMB added that if members do vote to strike, this would not take place until later in September.

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GMB organiser Louise Race said: “The strength of this mandate shows that Skelton workers, like other Asda colleagues around the country, want to see union recognition and equal pay for Asda retail workers.

“With our equal pay claim heading to the high court on 9 September this is a clear message to Asda management that it’s time for change.”

An Asda spokesperson told Grocery Gazette: “In Skelton, the GMB have not raised any specific issues with store management. We value feedback from our colleagues and will continue to work with all our colleagues in Skelton, including the GMB, on any store-specific matters.”

Commenting on equal pay, the Asda spokesperson added: “At Asda male and female colleagues doing the same jobs in stores are paid the same and this is equally true in our distribution centres.

“We continue to defend these claims because retail and distribution are very different sectors, with their own distinct skill sets and rates of pay.”

It comes as the latest Asda store to face the possibility of industrial action over the last year, following strikes in locations such as Gosport, Wisbech and Brighton Hollingbury.

Just last month, workers at its Lowestoft store announced a second strike this year over claims of a “litany of issues”, and while industrial action was set to take place at the Wisbech store earlier this month, but was called off as GMB announced it was reconsidering the supermarkets offer to speak to ACAS.