The Walmart/ASDA Dispute - Attack on Shop Stewards

By John Wiseman
At Walmart/Asda distribution centre, Ince, Wigan the company approached the workers and told them to increase production by 20%. The workers refused and walked off the job. This situation was brought about because the company acted unilaterally. The shop steward attempted to resolve the dispute but the company accused the shop steward of being the ring leader and promptly suspended him and sought his dismissal.

A number of demonstrations by GMB members and ballots for industrial action forced the company to think again and they re-instated the shop steward.

During the dispute there was support from St Helens and Wigan Trades Council. A number of other trades councils have offered support across the Lancashire area. This was followed by support from North West Amicus Gazette.

It seems employers are quite determined to suppress rank and file leaders in the hope of weakening collective agreements. The latest dispute was at Heinz foods, Wigan where a shop steward was threatened with suspension and the sack. This lead to 450 workers sitting down in protest, with the support of their union, the GMB. They are now in talks with senior directors at Heinz head office in London.

After visiting these sites and speaking to workers, the unions are stating that they are not happy with autocratic management. The positive outcome of these disputes is that more workers are joining the trade union movement.

Since the events at Walmart Ince, drivers at Walmart/ASDA Skelmersdale have requested recognition to end suspensions and establish fair shift rotas. They are liaising with the TGWU and URTU.
Walmart in there wisdom are trying to impose family unfriendly shifts, as well as sack Dave White, a local shop steward. This is all part of the ‘New-World’ contract environment faced by workers.

Finally we are trying to set-up a meeting with leaders in the GMB and North West Amicus Unity Gazette.

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