Last week, GMB concluded ACAS negotiations with ASDA regarding the issues in your store.  We are now asking you to vote on whether you choose to accept the offer that ASDA has proposed (which you can read in full here) and which we have agreed to ballot you on.

To do this, we need to give you some context around the offer and potential next steps. Through ACAS negotiations we have arrived at this position. What we are putting to you is what has been agreed (depending on how you vote) to suspend current strike days into February. However, should you reject the proposals, the strike will continue as soon as the consultative ballot closes.

The three proposals below do not mean that the rest of the 21 issues will not be dealt with as we acknowledge that some of these issues will take considerably longer to entirely resolve.

Please take the time to read the below and vote using the ballot form at the bottom of the page.

Proposal 1: Issues relating to GSM

ASDA and GMB will agree on an independent Law Firm to come to Store to talk to colleagues regarding issues of poor management, poor leadership, bullying, feeling dismissed etc. GMB and ASDA will be agreeing Terms of Reference (i.e. how this will take place and what the boundaries are). The Report when issued will be shared with GMB and ASDA. Colleagues wishing to speak to the independent investigator will do so anonymously. The GSM will be away from the Store whilst these meetings take place. Whatever is in the report, both sides agree to abide by. Should the independent report find that the GSM has a case to answer, the GSM would be subject to the same process as any other colleague.

Proposal 2: Collective Bargaining – Gosport Store

For many years GMB has not been able to negotiate pay for our ASDA Colleagues due to the Partnership Agreement rather than a Collective Bargaining Agreement. GMB membership at Gosport is now so significant that there are enough members to support Store Collective Bargaining.

ASDA’s proposal is to take this to a National GMB/ASDA meeting on the 9th February 2024 where Collective Bargaining will be discussed. GMB have secured agreement from ASDA that Collective Bargaining will not be removed from the table by ASDA and they acknowledge that, should talks fail, GMB will pursue formal recognition on a store by store basis starting with Gosport.

Proposal 3: Gesture of goodwill for GMB members at ASDA Gosport

We asked for a gesture of goodwill during our talks before Christmas to be awarded to GMB members at Gosport to acknowledge the difficult circumstances you have been working under and the additional stress having to take action to rectify these issues has caused you.

ASDA’s response to this request was a resounding “no”. They felt this was not a sustainable resolution. They have suggested instead ACAS attend the store to run Focus Groups after the independent Law Firm Report to repair relationships between ASDA and Colleagues has been produced.

GMB feel this does not go far enough in recognising what you have endured for months. The health and safety issues are significant and make your Store a dangerous place to work in, the lack of colleagues, the additional workload, the lack of hours in Gosport to enable you to do your roles in the way that you have expressed you wish to do would have been in someway compensated by a gesture.

Given the above, we are putting these proposals to you without a recommendation. This means you must vote as you see fit. If the majority of members vote to accept these proposals, industrial action will be suspended whilst all the above takes place.

If the majority of members vote to reject the proposals, we will notify you further regarding the start of period of Industrial Action, after the consultative ballot has closed and we have the results.

Please bear this in mind when casting your vote.

This ballot will close at 12noon on Thursday 1st February.  Any votes cast after this time will not be counted.