Asda is bracing for further industrial action as GMB union members at its Skelton superstore in Saltburn-by-the-Sea have overwhelmingly supported strike action in an indicative ballot.
The vote held recently, saw 88 percent of GMB members participate, with 86 percent of those backing the move to strike.
Growing Discontent Among Asda Workers
This development marks the sixth consultative ballot conducted across Asda stores in recent months, highlighting the growing discontent among workers.
The GMB union has announced that a formal strike ballot started on 15 August, 2024 and will remain open until 9 Sept, 2024. Should the strike be approved, any industrial action is expected to take place later in September.
GMB organiser Louise Race said:
“The strength of this mandate shows that Skelton workers, like other Asda colleagues around the country, want to see union recognition and equal pay for Asda retail workers.”
Asda’s Response and Upcoming Legal Battle
In response to the ballot, an Asda spokesperson said:
“In Skelton, the GMB has not raised any specific issues with store management. We value feedback from our colleagues and will continue to work with all our colleagues in Skelton, including the GMB, on any store-specific matters.”
This potential strike action comes as GMB is also set to take its ongoing equal pay claim against Asda to the High Court on 9 September. The union is pushing for equal pay for Asda’s retail workers, a cause that has sparked widespread industrial action across the company’s stores.
Addressing the equal pay claim, the Asda spokesperson said:
“At Asda, male and female colleagues doing the same jobs in stores are paid the same, and this is equally true in our distribution centres. We continue to defend these claims because retail and distribution are very different sectors, with their own distinct skill sets and rates of pay.”
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A Wave of Industrial Action and Declining Sales
Asda has been hit by a series of strikes over pay and working conditions in recent months. Five stores have already faced strikes, including Brighton Marina, Brighton Hollingbury, Wisbech, Lowestoft, and Gosport.
The mounting tensions between Asda management and its workforce reflect broader issues within the company as it grapples with labor disputes and demands for fairer pay.
Adding to the retailer’s challenges, recent data from Kantar revealed that Asda’s sales plunged by 6 percent in the 12 weeks leading up to 4 August.
The data also showed a decline in the supermarket’s market share, which fell from 13.7 percent to 12.6 percent over the past year. This downturn underscores the pressures facing Asda as it navigates both internal and external challenges.
