Threat of shortages at Woolworths stores from warehouse workers' strike

Australian shoppers could face shortages of essential goods in the lead-up to Christmas from a looming strike by Woolworths warehouse workers.

More than 1500 members of the United Workers Union (UWU) last week voted to begin indefinite industrial action from today at four Woolworths distribution centres in Victoria and New South Wales over a dispute about pay and conditions.

The union says that the supermarket giant's profits keep rising, but argue workers wages are going backwards, and are demanding an annual increase of 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent.

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The UWU also wants equal pay for workers performing similar jobs, and the scrapping of the company's management performance system for workers, which it claims is unsafe.

"Woolworths workers want to be paid equally across the country," said UWU national secretary Tim Kennedy.

"They want to be paid the same rate for doing the same work under a national agreement."

The four warehouses move about 5 million cartons a week, 9News.com.au understands.

Strikes could have a significant impact on essentials such as milk, butter toilet paper, cereals and toiletries.

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Alcohol supplies could also be affected because one of the distribution centres delivers beer, wine and spirits to BWS and Dan Murphy's outlets.

Woolworths Group's supply chain arm, Primary Connect, says it has a back-up plan to reduce the fallout on shoppers.

"We have extensive contingency plans in place to minimise impact to customers, including significantly increasing stock levels in potentially impacted stores, and utilising the other 20 distribution centres and 8000 team members in our network to ensure regular deliveries to our stores," it said in a statement.