ASDA faces strike vote at three more stores
Asda workers will begin a vote on strike action at three more stores, GMB warned today [Wednesday] This follows the first ever walk out of ASDA workers at the retailers Gosport store on the 9th - 11th February.
ASDA FACES STRIKE VOTE AT THREE MORE STORES
Asda workers will begin a vote on strike action at three more stores, GMB warned. This follows the first ever walk out of ASDA workers at the retailers Gosport store on the 9th - 11th February.
Nearly 400 GMB members at the Wisbech, Brighton Hollingbury, and Brighton Marina stores will vote on whether to take industrial action.
The ballots will start from 16th February with the final ballot closing on 5th March.
Workers are angry at a series of issues, including cuts in hours, poor health and safety, inadequate training and a lack of collective bargaining (rights to negotiate on pay and conditions) or settlement for long standing equal pay litigation.
The strike ballots come following revelations over the weekend that ASDA have cut 8 million hours from the shop floor in the past two years alone - with further reductions expected this year. [1]
Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer, said:
"ASDA workers are voting to strike because they want to see a better, thriving ASDA, all the while the Issa Brothers and TDR Capital continue the asset stripping of ASDA at pace.
"It has been reported that 8 million hours have been cut from the shop floor over the past two years alone, allowing the Issa Brothers and TDR Capital to pocket tens of millions of pounds as a result.
"GMB members would like to know why they are being forced to do more work with fewer colleagues and worsening health and safety standards, while Moshin Issa buys an £18.5m mansion.
"These cuts are not something that ASDA workers agreed to nor had any say in. That is why they are calling for proper rights for ASDA's largest trade union - the GMB - to represent them."
[1] ‘Estimates being shared among staff revealed that eight million hours have been lost across Asda’s workforce in the last two years alone, with further reductions expected this year.’
Daily Telegraph, Issa brothers face Asda strike threats over cost-cutting, 10 February 2024 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/02/10/issa-brothers-face-asda-strike-threats-over-cost-cutting/
