‘Could spark an avalanche' | Thousands of Asda workers take 'historic step' in £1.2bn equal pay tribunal

Thousands of Asda workers have advanced to the final stage of a decade-long battle over equal pay, placing them on the verge of a possible £1.2billion payout.

First filed in 2014, the case involves 60,000 people – mostly women – working on the supermarket’s shop floor and whether they were paid less than their predominantly male counterparts working in Asda warehouses, despite the jobs having equal value.

While Asda rejects the claims and insists differences in pay are not discriminatory, the GMB union said workers were “on the cusp of justice” after a Manchester-based employment tribunal ruled 12 of the case’s 14 lead claimants completed work of equal value to warehouse staff while being paid £3.74 an hour less.

Those roles included checkout operators, bakery and produce shop floor assistants, customer service staff, and George clothing store workers.