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Asda Faces Easter Weekend Strikes At Wisbech Store

By Nithya Bose in Business News, posted March 16, 2024

Asda is bracing for a strike at its Wisbech store during the Easter weekend, a critical period for retail sales, as announced by the GMB union.

Approximately 170 employees would join for a 48-hour strike on Friday, March 29, and Saturday, 30.

They will protest against cuts to their working hours and an increase in what they perceive as a bullying management culture.

The union said workers were angry over “poor levels of training and support for their job roles, the equal pay claim dragging on for years, health, safety and fire safety issues being ignored and a lack of collective bargaining with GMB union.”

Keith Dixon, a GMB regional organiser, said: “Asda Wisbech workers will strike during Easter weekend, one of the supermarket’s busiest weekends of the year.

“They face cuts to hours, non-existent training, toxic management and multiple health, safety and fire failings.

“Asda workers in Wisbech know it’s not good enough.”

An Asda spokesperson said: “Although we are disappointed by the GMB’s decision to proceed with this course of action, we will continue to engage with them and listen to their concerns.

“While any potential disruption to colleagues and customers is unwelcome, we have comprehensive plans in place to minimise any disruption in the event of industrial action.”

Asda staff "face cuts to hours, non-existent training, toxic management and multiple health, safety and fire failings"

Despite the potential disruption to staff and customers, Asda has assured that it has robust plans to mitigate the strike's impact.

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This strike at Wisbech follows a similar protest by Asda workers at the Gosport store last month, marking it the second Asda location to experience labor unrest.

Workers at the Gosport site had previously walked out on February 9 and 10, citing a "toxic" working environment as their primary grievance.

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