Bristol delivery drivers working for Asda will see their pay cut by 12 per cent during the cost of living crisis. The supermarket giant is to withdraw a £1.50-an-hour premium that was introduced in the summer to help attract and retain drivers.
The GMB union claims that drivers working for several stores in the city will be impacted by the cut. According to the union, the stores affected are Bedminster, Filton, Whitchurch, Longwell Green and Patchway.
It is reported that 1,500 delivery drivers working across 35 stores in London and the south coast will be impacted by the cut. The Mirror reports the premium to drivers’ £10.10 an hour rate, which began in July, had been promised until at least Christmas, but is being withdrawn on 21 October.
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Asda has confirmed the trial will finish at the end of this month because it said it had not delivered the desired results. Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer, said: "Asda’s attempt to address its driver shortage was a sticking plaster that was never going to work.
"Asda needs to address the fundamental issue: driver pay is much lower than other retailers - as is their shop floor pay. A temporary or one off payment was never going to go far enough and entice drivers at a time when they are in high demand.
"Drivers working conditions are poor, during the heatwave they were having to drive in vans with no air con and only today they GMB had to raise concerns around the safety and condition of the vehicles. Drivers need to be paid competitive rate for the job or they will continue to find work elsewhere.”
An Asda spokesperson said: “In July, we began a trial in a small number of stores to pay a discretionary supplement to delivery drivers in order to assess what impact this has on colleague recruitment and retention. This trial was scheduled to end in December, but will finish at the end of this month, because it has not delivered the desired results. We have spoken to all colleagues impacted by this change.”
The update from Asda comes after the GMB Union criticised the supermarket for being the “worst paying’ grocer out of the Big Four. Aldi, Tesco and Sainsbury’s have boosted the basic hourly rate to £10.50, £10.30 and £10.25 respectively.
Supermarkets across the board have been increasing pay this year to help workers with the cost of living crisis. Asda last increased pay for its workers in April 2022. According to a GMB survey of 3,200 Asda workers, 90% worry they won’t be able to heat their homes. Asda told the Mirror: “We’re listening to our colleagues and taking action to support them wherever we are able.
“This year we have invested in two pay increases for our hourly-paid store colleagues and were able to pay a bonus worth an average of £413 to full-time, hourly paid colleagues.”
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