One of Tesco's Welsh-based cheese suppliers, South Caernarfon Creameries, could face employee strikes if a Unite ballot of worker-members is returned in ­favour of ­action.

Unite has balloted its 70 members part of a 160-strong workforce in the Welsh dairy co-op because of employee unrest following a pay freeze implemented in April 2009. The union has already asked workers whether they are prepared to strike or take part in other industrial action and has asked for responses by 14 January.

South Caernarfon CEO Alun Wyn-Jones played down the dispute saying: "It happens quite regularly when you recognise Unite or any other type of union."

He added that the co-op had told workers in September last year they would get a pay rise from April this year, although he couldn't say by how much. If a strike does take place it would be "unprecedented" at the creamery, he added.