Liz Wells The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) has accused the GMB union of making "misleading" statements about the Employment Agencies Standards Inspectorate (EASI)'s investigation of industrial action at JJB Sports' Wigan distribution centre.

The GMB wants EASI to bring criminal charges against three local agencies for supplying temporary staff to do the jobs of strikers and help the retailer catch up following the strike action.

However, the REC said this claim is totally unsubstantiated. It added that EASI will be interviewing the recruitment agencies but this is due to an approach from the REC.

Tom Hadley, the REC's director of external relations, said: "The DTI interviewing the agencies is in no way confirmation that they have been supplying temporary staff as the GMB alleges. In fact, the initial feedback we have received is that the agencies concerned have been doing everything by the book and we look forward to hearing the outcome of the DTI interviews."

The GMB has demanded that EASI should proceed with criminal charges in the magistrates court against recruitment agencies Bond Personnel, Heads Personnel, and Lightyear Recruitment.

Graham Coxon, GMB regional officer, said: "The GMB will raise questions in Parliament about how EASI does its job. GMB members consider that there is not a level playing field as far as industrial relations law is concerned. If the GMB had gone outside the law we would have faced immediate injunctions and sequestration."

The strike action was called off last week after the workers in dispute agreed to accept a revised pay offer from the retailer.