Asda announces new staff benefits as pay deal is accepted | News

Asda has announced two new staff benefits after confirming store staff have accepted its proposal pay rate of £12.04 an hour.

The Care Concierge benefit, managed by Legal & General, will offer workers assistance in later-life care for loved ones, with free confidential one-to-one telephone services.

Meanwhile, the Mortgage Advice Bureau will provide guidance for staff navigating property purchase or remortgaging.

The new benefits, which are available to all 150,000 of the supermarket’s workers, were revealed as Asda confirmed proposals to increase hourly pay for all store-based staff from £11.11 to £12.04 had been accepted in a a ballot by Usdaw members.

The move represents an 8.4% rise in pay and a total investment of £150m in staff pay this year,

The announcement comes following controversy over Asda’s pay and conditions in a dispute wirth rival union the GMB.

Over the Easter weekend, staff at its Wisbech store are to become the second to walk out on strike, after voting overwhelmingly to take action.

The walkout follows store staff in Gosport going on strike last month.

However, elsewhere a ballot at Asda’s Brighton Hollingbury store failed to reach the threshold required for industrial action.

“We have made a record investment in pay this year to recognise the great work our colleagues do serving customers every day and we are delighted that our proposal has been accepted,” said Asda chief people & corporate affairs officer Hayley Tatum.

“We also understand that supporting our colleagues goes beyond pay and the workplace, which is why we continue to explore new benefits for colleagues to provide support for their and their families’ health and wellbeing.”