Asda attacked for 'assault' on rights of staff in drive to cut costs

ASDA today came under fire from a charity which accused the supermarket group of planning a "strategic assault" on the working conditions of its staff.

War on Want and the GMB union fear management proposals for a major shake-up in staff operations at the retailer's distribution centre in Leicestershire will be rolled out nationwide. They claim Asda - owned by the American retail giant Wal-Mart - has drawn up a strategy aimed at reducing costs and increasing productivity at a time of falling British retail sales.

According to that strategy, the company would like to remove the right of staff to take industrial disputes to the arbitration service Acas, implement the use of "single man loading" for jobs that involve lifting, even though Asda's own risk assessment acknowledges the need for two people to undertake such tasks, encourage supervisors to "take the credence out of breaks" by ending rest times early thereby "leading by example", and remove sick pay for the first three days of absence.

The plans were revealed by War on Want alongside the launch of "Asda Wal-Mart: The Alternative Report", which claims the company keeps costs low by means of harsh working regimes in its supermarkets and depots as well as demanding ever-reduced prices from suppliers in developing countries. The report is co-sponsored by the GMB union.

War on Want chief executive Louise Richards said: "Asda Wal-Mart is riding roughshod over workers on a global scale."

Asda rejected the allegations.

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/business.cfm?id=2102672005