More than 3,000 HGV drivers and warehouse workers at Tesco are being balloted for strike action in a row over pay that a union threatened would leave store shelves empty.
However, the supermarket giant said contingency plans ensured this would not happen and that it had made a fair offer.
The staff, based in Belfast, Didcot, Doncaster and Thurrock, have demanded the same pay rise as store staff and have rejected a 4% offer, according to Unite.
It said this was considerably lower than the 5.1% handed to shop workers.
Unite said strike action would involve around 700 Didcot workers, 400 Belfast workers, 600 Doncaster workers and 1,400 Thurrock workers and severely impact distribution to Tesco stores across the UK.
The ballot for strike action closes on 17 August.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Tesco is making massive profits and paying out millions in shareholder dividends and executive pay while their own workers are left to struggle with a baked in cost-of-living crisis.
“If the bosses at Tesco won’t give their warehouse workers and HGV drivers a fair piece of the pie, they could soon start to see empty shelves in their shops across the country. Unite will be backing these workers 100%.”
Adrian Jones, Unite national officer for road transport and logistics, added: “There is still time for industrial action to be avoided but that will require Tesco making an acceptable offer.”
A Tesco spokesperson said: “We have made a fair offer which would see colleagues receive an above-inflation pay award.
“We remain focused on reaching an agreement, and have well-established contingency plans to ensure there are no issues with availability.”
