Today (6th November 2023) Luke joined ASDA retail workers in Skelton demonstrating for equal pay.

Today marks ASDA’s ‘equal pay day’ – the day that ASDA’s retail workers start working for ‘free’ compared to their colleagues in the depots. This means that ASDA’s retail workers are effectively working the entire Christmas period for free, compared to what they should be paid if they were being paid equally.

Retail workers, who are predominantly (but not exclusively) women, deal with considerable abuse from the public. In the last year alone (2022-23), violence and abuse against shop workers rose to a shocking 1,300 incidents a day, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). This is a 50% increase on 2021-22.

Luke joined local Skelton staff and GMB union reps to support their fight for pay justice. He will continue to support them as their legal claim progresses through the courts – with an Equal Value Hearing expected in September next year.