UNION members working at the Wilko distribution centre in Magor have voted in favour of strike action on Monday, July 18.

The workers at the distribution centre are employed by supply chain company Wincanton.

Members of the United Road Transport Union (URTU) voted for the strike after the local URTU shop steward was sacked.

The union suspects that the shop steward was sacked for their trade union activities, that disciplinary processes were used to justify the sacking and that no alternative to dismissal was explored.

As of yet undisclosed allegations were made against the shop steward, but the union is contending that there were other options to dismissal that were ignored.

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Brian Hart, National Officer of URTU, who represented the member at his appeal hearing said: "Based on my 23 years experience as a union representative, I am in no doubt that the real reason for the dismissal of our site shop steward was his trade union activities.

"I have worked with our member many times in recent years and I have seen first-hand the diligent work he does on behalf of our members.

"This supports my genuine view that the real reason for his dismissal was the concerted effort by the management of Wincanton to oust him from the company to make the problem of a diligent trade union representative go away."

Wilko stores serviced by the Magor distribution centre will be affected.