Morrisons customers across the north of England could face empty shelves after nearly 500 Eddie Stobart HGV drivers began balloting for strike action.

The drivers, who supply Morrisons supermarkets from distribution depots in Wakefield, Stockton-on-Tees and Northwich in Cheshire, are being balloted by Unite amid a dispute over the company’s use of agency workers.

Unite claims Eddie Stobart is “undermining” existing terms and conditions by increasingly replacing directly employed drivers with agency staff on insecure contracts. The union said around 40 per cent of drivers at the Stockton and Northwich sites are now agency workers.

According to Unite, the logistics firm has also confirmed that any new directly employed drivers hired in future would be placed on inferior terms and conditions.

The ballot runs until 4 June. Unite warned that strike action would disrupt deliveries of all types of grocery products to Morrisons stores across the north of England.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Eddie Stobart’s attempts to undermine drivers’ pay and conditions, creating a race-to-the-bottom on employment standards is appalling.

“This disgraceful union-busting will not be allowed. These workers have Unite’s absolute backing.”

Unite regional officer Neil Howells added: “Morrisons will be extremely angry that it is facing empty shelves because Eddie Stobart is union-busting.

“There is still time to avoid strikes, but that will require Eddie Stobart reaching a fair agreement with Unite.”

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