Asda shop workers have won the latest key stage in their fight for equal pay in a ruling that could lead to a £500m compensation claim. More than 44,000 shop workers say they should be paid the same as the predominantly male staff who work in the chain’s depots, and who receive£1.50-£3 an hour more in pay than the shop workers. Wendy Arundale, who worked for Asda for 32 years, said: “I’m delighted that shop floor workers are one step closer to achieving equal pay. The outcome of the landmark case – the biggest-ever equal pay claim in the UK private sector – will have repercussions for about 8,000 workers at other supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Co-op and Morrisons, who are also engaged in equal pay disputes with their employers. The legal firm Leigh Day, which is representing the Asda shop workers, has said that if the five supermarkets lose the cases brought by the workers, they could be facing backdated pay claims totalling £8bn.

Source: The Guardian March 26, 2021 10:09 UTC