WORKERS at a Morrisons distribution depot at Aylesford, near Maidstone, today voted to take strike action in an effort to save jobs at the Kent depot.

Papers leaked to the workers' union, the GMB, last month revealed the supermarket chain has plans to close the Aylesford depot along with other sites at Warrington in Cheshire and Bristol.

Should these measures go ahead up to 1,000 jobs in Aylesford could be lost.

Announcing the 82 per cent in favour result today Jeff Gosswell GMB representative at the Aylesford depot said Morrisons staff were extremely angry at the way bosses had handled the affair.

Staff he said were angry at "learning information from their union rather than from the company directly," and were concerned over the future of their jobs.

Adding that he was extremely disapointed at the action Morrisons have taken and the way they have treated staff Mr Goswell said: "When Morrisons took over Safeway they promised staff and local MP Jonathan Shaw that Aylesford was safe. They appear to have gone back on this."

Morrisons were in the process of issuing a complete press statement this afternoon,

but a company spokesman did say: "Morrisons spoke with the GMB union yesterday (Wednesday) and indicated that we are happy to discuss the ballot result."

Indicating that strike action by GMB members will not impact too heavily on Morrison supplies the spokesperson added: "We have 12 other distribution sites operated by third parties and represented by other trade unions who are not involved in these ballots."