Kettering Asda staff demonstrate outside store over pay claim 'worth £3.8m'

The retail giant has faced criticism this week after GMB union members held a demonstration to highlight the ongoing equal pay ‘crisis’ within the company.

The union says that Asda’s shop floor workers – who are predominantly women – are owed billions of pounds in back pay having been short-changed because they were paid up to £3 per hour less than staff involved in distribution. It is thought the anticipated underpayment at the Kettering store off Northfield Avenue could top as much as £3.8m.

The dispute has been going on for well over a decade and the equal pay claim is due to be heard in court in September.

The union has also accused Asda’s private equity owners of slashing millions of hours from the shop floor.

Rachelle Wilkins, GMB organiser, said: “Asda needs to urgently come clean on the plan to end the equal pay crisis facing our members.

“Women workers at the company are being routinely undervalued whilst facing hours being slashed. Here in Kettering our members have had enough.

“Support from local Kettering shoppers has been overwhelming and it’s clear they’re shocked at how Asda is treating its women workers”.

An Asda spokesperson said: “At Asda, male and female colleagues doing the same jobs in stores are paid the same and this is equally true in our distribution centres.

"We continue to defend these claims because retail and distribution are very different sectors, with their own distinct skill sets and rates of pay.”