Asda workers to walkout at Gosport superstore in January in first ever strike at chain

Workers at Asda's Gosport Superstore are to walkout from Friday 12 January, the GMB Union has announced.

The industrial action would be the first of its kind at any Asda store in the UK, and is centered around the treatment of staff at the store.

Members reported concerns around wages and health and safety, contributing to a work culture the GMB is describing as 'toxic'.  

Colleagues will carry out strike action until Sunday 26 January, and the union says further days are possible.

Nicola Nixon, GMB Regional Organiser said: “To my knowledge, no ASDA store has been balloted for strike action before, so this is historic for these members who have been brave enough to stand up and say ‘enough is enough’.

“The strike action is a cry for help from these hard-working colleagues, who help deliver Christmas for families all across the surrounding area.

“Asda management still have time to stop this strike from happening – if they don’t want the store operations to grind to a halt in January, they need to meet us and actually negotiate with us, unlike the five previous times we have met for pointless and unproductive talks.”

An Asda spokesperson told ITV Meridian: “We have established processes in place for colleagues to raise any concerns and are disappointed that the GMB has chosen this course of action, despite the discussions we have had with them.

"We will continue to engage with representatives at the Gosport store to resolve their concerns. While any action that has the potential to cause disruption for colleagues and customers is unwelcome, we are confident that we can keep disruption to a minimum.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...