1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212 
Asda workers win union recognition
Page 8
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE GMB UNION is scrappng plans to ballot Asda distribution workers on industrial action after winning concessions on pay bargaining and union recognitton.
Union leaders had accused the Wal-Mart-owned company of trying to dilute recognition agreements at its depots in Dartford and Washington (CM23 February).
They were also demanding common pay-bargaining arrangements at all the company's 21 distribution depots, which together employ about 4,000 drivers.
But Asda chief executive Andy Bond and GMB boss Paul Kenny say they have taken a significant step towards resolving the dis pute: "We've both agreed an action plan to work together to form a national joint council for distribution, and are now going to develop the details of this arrangement."
The GMB says the agreement will mean full union recognition across all distribution sites.
GMB national officer Jude Brimble adds: "We've made it clear to the company that it now has to follow through on its commitments very quickly, in action and not just in words, if its employees' confidence is to be restored."