Union fury at Asda ‘fortune’
Jump in profits sparks anger at contract changes
ASDA was accused of “making a fortune on the backs of its loyal workforce” after it posted a 13% jump in profits.
Newly published accounts showed the supermarket giant made almost £805m last year.
Nine bosses got nearly £12m between them in pay and sharebased rewards. Its chief executive is Roger Burnley.
The accounts were published on the day fresh protests were staged at Asda stores across the UK over a controversial new employment contract for workers.
The new contract will see Asda workers’ hourly rate rise to £9, but they will lose their paid breaks.
Staff who don’t sign by November 2 risk being given the sack.
Accounts for Asda Group Ltd at Companies House revealed revenues rose 3.1% to just under £23bn last year, with profits up from £712.6m in 2017. They also showed that Asda’s workforce fell by almost 5,800 to 150,176 last year.
Gary Carter, national officer at the GMB union, said: “Asda is making a fortune on the backs of its loyal workforce. But instead of rewarding them, bosses are forcing them to choose between signing a brutal contract or getting the sack in time for Christmas.
“Asda can more than afford to offer dedicated, long-serving staff a better deal.”
Asda, owned by US giant Walmart, said directors’ pay was linked to the firm’s performance and that staff also shared a bonus. On the contract change, it said: “This contract is about increasing the take-home pay of more than 100,000 retail colleagues through an investment of more than £80m, and ensuring that everyone doing the same job is on the same terms and conditions.
“The overwhelming majority of our colleagues from across all our stores have signed on to the new contracts.”