Asda bosses wait for ruling in Supreme Court equal pay fight

Asda bosses are waiting for a ruling after a Supreme Court equal pay fight with employees.

More than 30,000 Asda store workers, most of whom are women, have brought equal pay claims after complaining that staff working in distribution depots unfairly get more money.

Five Supreme Court justices, asked to consider whether Asda supermarket staff were entitled to compare themselves to distribution staff for equal pay purposes, have analysed rival arguments at a two-day virtual hearing.

They are expected to deliver a ruling later in the year.

Nearly four years ago, an Employment Tribunal judge decided that supermarket staff were entitled to compare themselves to distribution staff.

That decision was upheld by Court of Appeal judges in 2019.

Asda bosses say the roles are not comparable and asked Supreme Court justices to overturn the appeal court ruling.

Lawyers say the supermarket workers’ fight will not end even if Supreme Court justices rule in their favour.

The employees will still have to show that supermarket and distribution roles are of equal value, and that there is no reason other than sex discrimination for pay differences.

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