Job loss fears at Asda

Leeds-headquartered supermarket chain Asda is reported to have begun a consultation process with more than 2,800 staff across back office roles to try and cut its costs.

According to The Guardian, the Walmart-owned business has informed 2,832 employees working in cash office, administrative, and personnel roles that their jobs were at risk.

It comes several weeks after Asda started implementing a controversial employment contract which increased basic hourly pay and hourly pay on some bank holidays, but axed paid breaks, cut premium pay on most bank holidays and reduced the number of hours rated as better-paid night shifts.

In its latest cost cutting drive, the chain is looking to halve its back office operations across its 639 stores.

Trade union GMB said Asda was seeking “significant hours reductions” in the affected departments.

In a statement, Asda has responded: “The way in which we operate our store-based back office has evolved over recent years to adapt to changing customer behaviour, such as an increase in card payments over cash.

“As a result, we are proposing some changes to increase efficiencies and simplify ways of working across administration, compliance and cash office.

“We have opened a collective consultation with those colleagues impacted and their representatives and will have conversations about any potential change with our colleagues first.”