Hundreds of staff at one of Sainsbury’s warehouses will take part in strike action on Thursday following a dispute over changes to its absence policy.

Almost 400 workers at the grocer’s Waltham Point distribution centre will walk out for 24 hours, starting at 6am tomorrow.

Details of the strike emerged two weeks after Usdaw members voted in favour of industrial action.

Almost three-quarters of the 250 staff who voted in the ballot backed plans to walk out. Around 380 Usdaw members work at the Waltham Point site, in Essex.

Usdaw said at the time of the vote that it would host “a series” of 24-hour strikes if Sainsbury’s refused to negotiate its policy changes.

Usdaw divisional officer Nigel Scully said: “Usdaw members have been forced to take industrial action in response to the company’s refusal to negotiate on their proposals to change the attendance policy. We remain committed to resolving this dispute as quickly and effectively as possible.

“Our members have not taken lightly the decision to strike. We sincerely hope that the company returns to the negotiating table, as soon as possible, with a reasonable offer that could resolve this dispute.”

Following the vote earlier this month, the supermarket giant said it had “contingency plans in place to minimise any disruption” that strike action would cause.