Asda to consult on up to 2500 job losses

Asda is set to begin a consultation process with staff over potential job losses which could see 2,500 employees affected from February 2019.

An Asda representative said the firm needed to consider changing employees’ roles and working hours. A BBC report states.

The Walmart owned supermarket giant has issued potential redundancy notices for just under 2,500 workers in 5 separate areas of work: combined back office, George desks, petrol, hosting and bakery, according to the GMB union.

Pledging to fight tooth and nail for every single job, GMB said it would remind ASDA bosses the supermarket is highly profitable because of the hard work of its employees – who are the backbone of the company.

Gary Carter, GMB National Officer said:

“These proposed redundancies are a hammer blow to ASDA workers. The timing of this announcement, in the run up to Christmas, is doubly appalling.

ASDA is performing well and is highly profitable because of the hard work of our members, who are the backbone of the company.

These cuts make no sense whatsoever – slashing our members jobs would hurt the service ASDA customers receive. GMB will fight tooth and nail for every single job.

With all the speculation surrounding the proposed Sainsbury’s merger and potential sell offs of stores – this news will not put anyone’s mind at rest.”

The proposed multi-billion pound merger between Sainsbury’s and Asda could see a “substantial lessening of competition” in 463 areas the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said.

The CMA published the results of its Phase 1 investigation into the proposed merger in September, it said Sainsbury’s and Asda stores “overlap in several hundred local areas across the UK”.

The deal could see the supermarket giants forced to sell over 460 stores before any planned merger goes through.

Sainsbury’s and Asda both have stores in Flint, in September Delyn MP David Hanson said he wanted assurances no jobs will be lost in the town, Mr Hanson said:

“As Flint has both a Sainsbury’s and Asda next door to each other the merger proposals are of deep concern.

The findings in the CMA phase one investigation stated that there is a distinct possibility that stores will have to be sold to ensure competition levels are maintained.

Asda and Sainsbury’s employ a large number of people in Flint and we need assurances that they will have job security going forward.”