Asda Workers Proceed With Equal Pay Claim Against the Store

Asda workers - equal pay for work of equal value

Thousands of workers at Asda have won the right at an Employment Tribunal (ET) to proceed with equal pay claims against the store, in the biggest private sector equal pay case ever brought, which could cost the supermarket more than £100 million. The claim is that work in the retail stores is paid less than roles in the distribution centres, with women holding a higher proportion of the jobs in store, and men holding a higher proportion of the jobs in the distribution centres. 

The ET has ruled that the store workers can compare themselves to the distribution workers. However, it has yet to consider whether the jobs are of equal value in terms of their demands, and if they are, consideration will be given to whether there are any legitimate reasons for the differences, such as different market rates in different industry sectors.