CUT-PRICE supermarket chain Lidl announced yesterday that it was considering an appeal against a legal ruling that warehouse workers have a right to be represented by a union.

As reported in the Morning Star yesterday, general union GMB won a landmark ruling giving hundreds of warehouse workers the right to union representation.

The ruling came from the Central Arbitration Committee, whose decisions are legally binding.

The case centred on Lidl’s warehouse and distribution centre at Bridgend in south Wales — one of nine operated across Britain by the chain.

In a statement reacting to the ruling, German-owned Lidl said it was “disappointed” and was taking legal advice over an appeal.

“We maintain the belief that our employees are fairly represented within the business, without having to engage with unions and creating a fragmented workforce,” the company added.

But GMB legal director Maria Ludkin said: “Lidl has lost two court battles. It is about time it took the jackboots off and started respecting the laws in this country.

“In Britain since Victorian times, we have had a culture where employees enjoy the legal rights to choose to combine and be represented by an organisation independent of the employer.

“This right is incorporated into international accords that thanks to the sacrifices of previous generations apply across the civilised world, including Germany.

“Lidl must now abandon attempts to subvert these rights and begin to bargain with their employees and to extend collective bargaining to their hard-pressed retail workers.”

Shop workers’ union Usdaw is being denied access to Lidl stores to speak to retail staff.

Lidl has 637 stores and nine regional distribution centres across England, Wales and Scotland employing more than 18,000 staff. It plans to expand, with plans for 1,500 stores in Britain.