Asda - Employee Relations

Employee Relations

Asda has 150,000 employees, whom it refers to as "colleagues" (90,000 part-time, 60,000 full-time). The company has featured prominently in lists of "Best companies to work for", appearing in second place in The Times newspaper list for 2005. It offers staff a discount of 10% on most items (exceptions include fuel, stamps, lottery, giftcards and tobacco related items).

There is, however, an eventful history in dealings with union bodies. The company was fined £850,000 in 2006 for offering 340 staff at a Dartford depot a pay rise in return for giving up a collective union agreement. Poor relations continued as Asda management attempted to introduce new rights and working practices shortly thereafter at another centre in Washington, Tyne and Wear.

Some compromise was reached by June of that year, when a five day strike was called off after Asda management and the GMB reached an agreement.

Relations have improved since, with both Asda and the GMB marking the death of a worker together on International Workers' Memorial Day in 2010.