Workers from supermarket giant Asda plan to stage a protest on Brighton seafront today (Monday 9 September) to mark the start of an equal pay claim.
The GMB union said that the case involved more than 60,000 workers, calling it the biggest ever in the private sector.
The union has organised a demonstration outside the Brighton Centre as the TUC (Trades Union Congress) gathers and another in Manchester where the case is to be heard.
The GMB said that the case was expected to last three months.
The union is arguing that the predominantly female retail workforce is paid up to £3.74 an hour less than the mainly male warehouse workforce.
Claimants are expected to say that retail work is of equal value to the company as warehouse work.
It is the second stage of a long-running case.
GMB national officer Nadine Houghton said: “Asda workers are making history. The result of this hearing will call time on the retailers undervaluing their predominantly women shop-floor workers.
“The entire retail sector has been built on the structural undervaluing of women’s work but GMB members are changing this.”
Asda said: “We fully respect the right of current and former colleagues to bring this case. However, we strongly reject any claim that Asda’s pay rates are influenced by gender.
“There are numerous different jobs within retail and within warehouses.
“We continue to defend these claims because retail and distribution are two different industry sectors that have their own distinct skill sets and pay structures.”
Earlier this year, GMB members at the Hollingbury branch of Asda went on strike over pay and conditions at the store.
Company was taken over by ruthless private equity firm with millions of debt. Inevitable result.
Brighton isn’t worth preserving with.
You’re probably right
The warehouse pay discrepancy has been running for years, it was still going on when I worked there over a decade ago.
Ah, the good old equal pay for different jobs ruse.
I am sure that the retail staff are free to apply for jobs in the warehouse if they want to earn more, just as the warehouse staff are free to apply for roles in retail if they want to earn less.
The only valid comparisons for their argument are women vs men in warehouse and women vs men in retail. Compare like with like and they may just have a point.
Surprised Our Sîan had muscled in on the photo. Perhaps she’s back home in London
Not this time – it was photo from the last protest at Hollingbury. But I get the sentiment
If it goes the way of Next, ASDA will probably liquidate. Great news for Aldi and Lidl maybe.
The Next case took six years and will now be appealed. Another six years ?
That aside the financial investment industry is now paying attention – so any business that looks like it may fall prey to this will find it harder to get funding, and more possibly importantly credit insurance. (remember HMV, Woolworths). This has a knock-on effect on pension funds who may be invested in these companies.
Hard to see any winners if many large employers end up going bust due to lack of funding. Staff payouts will come last in the line of creditors. Gaps in any workplace final salary pension funds are also a threat to employees and ex-employees.