Asda staff move closer to payouts - what it means for workers in equal pay fight
Asda staff move closer to payouts - what it means for workers in equal pay fight
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Tens of thousands of Asda store workers have moved a step closer to securing payouts after a key employment tribunal ruling found that most retail staff are doing jobs of "equal value to higher-paid positions" in the supermarket's distribution centres. This decision is part of a historic equality claim comparing predominantly female-staffed store roles with largely male-occupied warehouse positions. The case, spearheaded by trade unions, now raises the prospect of Asda employees receiving back pay that could cumulatively amount to £1.2bn.
The tribunal ruled in favour of 12 out of 14 women who were central to representing shop workers, seeking equal valuation for their roles compared to those in warehouses, covering a span from August 2008 till June 2014. It means tens of thousands of Asda shop floor workers have now won two out of the three stages of their equal pay claim. Nevertheless, the judgment was less favourable for personal shoppers and shop floor assistants in the edible grocery sector, removing approximately 20% of all claims from consideration. Leigh Day, the law firm representing the case for over 60,000 workers, is considering an appeal regarding these two job roles.
Asda, which operates around 1,200 stores across the UK, employs over 127,000 people on its shop floors. Lauren Lougheed, partner at Leigh Day, said: “This is a significant step for the thousands of Asda store workers who have established equal value. Our clients have fought for over 10 years to achieve recognition of the value of their work and I am so pleased for them. "We hope that Asda will now focus on resolving their cases quickly, rather than prolonging the process. Today’s ruling will of course be bitterly disappointing for our clients who work in the job roles that were not found to be of equal value.".
As the case moves forward, Asda aims to justify pay discrepancies in warehouse roles by pointing to a "material factor" like market conditions in the next stage of the proceedings. Meanwhile, a representative from Asda made it clear the supermarket giant is undeterred, stating: "We strongly reject any claim that Asda’s pay rates are discriminatory. "Asda will continue to defend these claims at the next stage of the litigation because retail and distribution are two different industry sectors that have their own market rates and distinct pay structures.".
