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| Argos workers vote for stoppage | Argos workers vote for stoppage |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Workers at four distribution centres run by catalogue chain Argos have voted in favour of strike action. | Workers at four distribution centres run by catalogue chain Argos have voted in favour of strike action. |
| The staff, who earn up to £22,000 a year, have rejected a 4% pay offer from Argos' owner Home Retail Group. | The staff, who earn up to £22,000 a year, have rejected a 4% pay offer from Argos' owner Home Retail Group. |
| Dates for a series of 24-hour strikes and then a four-day stoppage will be announced later this week. | Dates for a series of 24-hour strikes and then a four-day stoppage will be announced later this week. |
| The Unite union warned that this could lead to shortages of goods at Argos stores, at a time when its new catalogue is about to be launched. | The Unite union warned that this could lead to shortages of goods at Argos stores, at a time when its new catalogue is about to be launched. |
| The union says it is angry that the company has offered a "below inflation pay deal" when Home Retail Group's profits rose by 16% last year and its chief executive received a 58% pay rise. | The union says it is angry that the company has offered a "below inflation pay deal" when Home Retail Group's profits rose by 16% last year and its chief executive received a 58% pay rise. |
| "A below inflation wage offer is a pay cut and this is totally unacceptable to our members," said Unite national secretary Jennie Formby. | "A below inflation wage offer is a pay cut and this is totally unacceptable to our members," said Unite national secretary Jennie Formby. |
| "They are already struggling to keep up with rising food and energy costs," she said. | "They are already struggling to keep up with rising food and energy costs," she said. |
| The government's preferred inflation measure, the Consumer Prices Index, rose to 3.3% in May. But the wider Retail Prices Index measure - the one used for many pay negotiations - climbed to 4.3%. | The government's preferred inflation measure, the Consumer Prices Index, rose to 3.3% in May. But the wider Retail Prices Index measure - the one used for many pay negotiations - climbed to 4.3%. |
| The strike action is expected to affect distribution centres based in Basildon, Bridgwater, Heywood and Magna Park in Leicestershire. |