ASDA FACES STRIKE VOTE AT GOSPORT SUPERSTORE

Up to 100 GMB members to take part in industrial action ballot over treatment at the hands of store management

Asda workers at the Gosport superstore are set to vote on strike action over a litany of grievances.

Up to 100 GMB members at the Hampshire store will take part in the vote, which begins on Friday 8 December and closes on Friday 22 December.

The dispute centres around the staff’s treatment at the hands of store management including constant wage errors, pressure to work extra shifts and numerous health and safety issues.

GMB members report numerous fire safety complaints, including fire exits being constantly blocked and are not satisfied with how the issues and grievances have been resolved.

If workers vote to strike, industrial action could take place as early as January.

Nicola Nixon, GMB Regional Organiser said:

“This dispute has been brewing for some time now, with local management continuing to ignore growing concerns and an extremely stressed workforce reaching breaking point.

“Complaints were so wide and varied that a list of some 21 points of concern have been drafted to be shared with ASDA national management.

“The very fact that this ballot is taking place must surely be a call for the GSM [General Store Manager] and his local management team to stop burying their heads in the sand and look after the health, safety and welfare of their staff.

“Totally their choice of course, but by mid-January they will need to have engaged positively with GMB Union and members at the store or risk seeing them standing outside the Gosport store and accept the disruption to business that a strike will cause.

“It’s beginning to look a lot un-like Christmas for Gosport ASDA staff, and perhaps this dispute may have been avoided had management invested in their staff a little more, rather than paying Michael Bublé a fortune to front their Christmas campaign.”