GMB members representing 20 Asda distribution depots across the country have voted by three to one in favour of strike action, and four to one for industrial action short of a strike, regarding collective bargaining rights at the company’s UK depots.
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In response, Asda has stated that the ballot taken may not be fully representative of workers and reaffirmed it does not want collective bargaining at all its depots.
Asda spokesperson Ed Watson told just-food today (21 June): “The GMB’s hailing a victory, yet the ballot results clearly reveal they’ve got thousands less members than they thought. Only 1.5% of our colleagues have voted to strike and nearly half their own members chose not to even take part in the vote.
“It makes us really sad the GMB’s threatening strike action when there’s already a great offer on the table that could lead to collective bargaining at all our depots, if that’s what the majority of our colleagues tell us they want. We simply want to give all our people the chance to decide what type of union agreement, if any, they want at their site, not just the minority that are members of the union.”
The union said that members in the depots want to see the establishment of “proper national bargaining” structures between the supermarket operator and GMB covering pay, conditions and union facilities.
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By GlobalDataAsda, Wal-Mart’s UK division, is also under fire from the union for an alleged unpaid 2005 bonus of GBP300 (US$553.6) per worker.
Members voting in the ballot were HGV drivers, warehouse pickers and loaders from distribution depots based in Bedford, Chepstow, Dartford, Didcot, Erith, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Ince George in Wigan, Lymedale Staffordshire, Lutterworth in Leicestershire, Portbury in Bristol, Skelmersdale, Teesport, ADC Wigan, Wakefield and Washington.
GMB’s Asda Wal-Mart Shop Stewards National Council and GMB local and national officials will meet tomorrow (22 June) in Manchester to consider the ballot result and set dates and times for a programme of industrial action.
GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said: “GMB members in the 20 Asda Wal-Mart distribution depots have spoken. They have voted by three to one to take strike action despite all of the company’s attempts to dissuade or intimidate them to vote no.
“GMB members have been subjected to unprecedented interference and propaganda by Asda Wal-Mart. This ballot result shows that it is time for Asda Wal-Mart to wake up and smell the coffee.”
“If the GMB wants to talk, we’re always willing to get back round the table. Also bear in mind this only relates to some of our depot colleagues. Our colleagues in stores have not taken part in this vote and will not be taking industrial action,” Watson added.
The GMB has also voiced concerns that Asda could use agency staff to end the imminent strike, an illegal measure under UK labour law say the GMB.
However, last week (13 June), Asda told just-food it denied any intention to do so, describing the legal threat as a “red herring” in the ongoing dispute.
Instead, a company spokesperson said that agency staff have been brought in for different instances, such as high beer sales during the world cup and for holiday cover.
Watson said: ““We’re doing everything we lawfully can to make sure our customers won’t notice a thing when they’re shopping at our stores.”
The GMB has 25,000 members working in Asda Wal-Mart’s 300 plus stores and 20 distribution depots out of the total workforce of 140,000. The union has collective bargaining rights in nine of the 20 depots, and is attempting to secure them in others through the strike.
