Wisbech Asda workers announce next strike on August 2, 2024

The GMB union says around 150 of their members will walk out of the store between 3am and 10pm on August 2, 2024.  

It claims there is anger “over a litany of issues” including cuts in hours, poor quality training and bullying from management.  

Workers also say they are concerned about health and safety issues not being addressed and fire safety breaches.  

There is further upset over issues with equal pay not being “resolved in a timely manner”.  

Despite meeting with senior management since the previous Asda Wisbech strike at Easter, GMB says staff have no confidence any of the issues are being properly addressed.   

• Recommended Reading: Wisbech Asda’s pandemic hero Geoff Norris BEM joins his colleagues on Easter strike

Keith Dixon, GMB Regional Organiser said: “Asda Wisbech bosses are fully aware of why workers are angry.   

"But despite several meetings with senior directors, the company seems to be completely missing the point.   

“Not one dispute point has been addressed by Asda, while suggestions put forward by GMB have been ignored.   

“Management seems happy to ignore problems, cover them up or brush them under the carpet.   

“As a result, Asda Wisbech are returning to the picket line.”  

An Asda spokesperson said the company is "disappointed" their efforts with the union have still led to strike action.

The company has "rejected" claims that management is ignoring problems raised by GMB in relation to the Wisbech store and says points raised as part of the dispute have been addressed and responded to.

It also added it is "completely untrue" for the union to suggest staff have "no confidence" the issues are being properly addressed when a local GMB representative at the store has said "they are pleased" with steps being taken.

The spokesperson said: “We have taken reasonable and practical steps in Wisbech to address the points previously raised by the GMB and this has been welcomed by our colleagues at the store, most of whom are members of the union.

"Given this progress, we are disappointed the GMB has chosen a course of action that has the potential to disrupt the local community and hurt colleagues financially.

“We have offered to meet their representatives at ACAS to try and reach an amicable solution for all parties.  

"In the meantime, we have robust contingency plans in place and can reassure customers the store will be open as normal should this industrial action go ahead.”

Geoff Norris BEM is an Asda shopping delivery driver who helped the vulnerable throughout the pandemic. (Image: Louise Hepburn) The store's workers last walked out over two days of the Easter weekend and standing alongside his colleagues on the picket line was Wisbech's pandemic hero Geoff Norris BEM. 

The Asda delivery driver was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2020 for taking special care of the vulnerable and elderly during the pandemic. 

Mr Norris was also invited to the King's coronation last year. 

He politely refrained from talking to the press about why he had personally decided to strike, but explained he was there representing his colleagues with GMB. 

The Asda store, in Leverington Road, was able to remain open throughout the walkout. 

Elsewhere in the East of England, Asda workers in Lowestoft, Suffolk, walked out for two days in May.