Supermarket workers launch strike ballot over pay

GMB today began a month-long ballot of tens of thousands of Asda workers in a dispute over pay.

The union says Asda is the worst paying of the ‘big four’ supermarkets, after  other retailers recently gave staff increased pay rises to help with the cost of living crisis. It says Asda refuses to increase retail workers basic pay of £10.10 per hour in line with competitors.

GMB is asking whether members are happy to accept what is essentially a zero per cent pay offer. The ballot closes on  December 4.

GMB national officer Nadine Houghton,  said: “Asda’s retail workers are now seeing their hourly rate of pay slip to the bottom of the pile – again.  Meanwhile the Issa brothers are loaning themselves tens of millions to buy private jets.  Other companies see the need to protect staff from the cost-of-living crisis by offering increased pay rises and staff discounts.  It’s time Asda bosses took a leaf out of their book and invested in staff, instead of further debt leveraging Asda to expand their empire.”

Asda did not respond to a request for comment.