Proactive Investors - Low-paid workers at supermarket group Asda Stores Ltd are worried they will not be able to heat their homes this Christmas, a new survey from the GMB union has found.
The study revealed that 87% of respondents fear their wages at Asda will not be enough to cover the rising utility costs this winter.
The GMB has said it has written to Asda's owners Zuber and Mohsin Issa calling for reforms to pay as their private firm EG Group continues to strengthen profitability following a ‘resilient’ third quarter.
EG Group has seen gross fuel profits rise by 20% to £1.4bln due to soaring international oil prices.
Asda remains the worst paying of the ‘Big 4’ UK supermarkets with basic pay at £10.10 per hour.
“(The) Issa Brothers are trousering monstrous profits - even buying private jets – while the low-paid, predominantly women workers in their stores are worried they won’t be able to heat their homes this Christmas” said Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer in a statement.
“We call on the Issa brothers to urgently intervene to do the right thing by the hard-working colleagues they rely on and make sure they are no longer the worst paying of the big four,” added Houghton.
Expansion plans for EG Group-owned restaurant chain Leon were announced last month following a successful integration into Asda stores and petrol stations.
Asda did not respond when asked for a comment on the GMB survey.