Asda, the UK unit of Wal-Mart, has moved one step closer to facing a strike at 20 distribution depots that supply Asda stores across the UK. Distribution and warehouse staff are to be balloted next week by the general union, the GMB, over the company’s decision not to recognise negotiating rights at eight of its 20 depots.
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The dispute also involves the alleged withholding of a GBP300 bonus that the union says the US-owned company owes employees and the introduction of new technologies that raise work-rates to dangerously high levels.
“GMB members employed in the depots will now have an opportunity to vote for industrial action to secure national collective bargaining at the 20 Asda Wal-Mart distribution depots. Only with national collective bargaining will we have a framework to address the outstanding issues such as the reinstatement of the 2005 bonus, and safe and healthy work rates,” Jude Brimble, GMB National Officer representing members working in Asda Wal-Mart explained.
The national strike ballot was authorised by the GMB Central Executive Council on 27th February and a decision on whether or not to commence industrial action is expected on 19 June, a representative for the union told just-food today (1 July).
If workers decide to strike, the union expects the result to be highly disruptive to the operation of Asda supermarkets. “Quite simply, without its distribution network Asda won’t be able to stock shelves,” a GMB spokesperson told just-food.
The strike ballot is the culmination of a long-running battle between the GMB and Asda that began when the company was forced to pay GBP850,000 after it offered workers a 10% pay rise in exchange for them giving up collective bargaining rights in January 2005.
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By GlobalDataThe GMB claims that Asda has systematically followed a policy of anti-union activities.
A spokesperson for the retailer denied these claims and told just-food that the company had been expecting the situation to come to a head after evident failure of negotiations between the two groups. “In the event of a strike, we will do our best to keep things running smoothly in our stores,” the company said.
