Great Britain: Asda supermarkets propose ‘flexible contracts’ in return for a 14% pay rise

Asda, the UK’s third largest supermarket chain, after Tesco and Sainsbury’s, and owned by US giant Wal-Mart, is offering its 135,000 staff the option to switch to ‘flexible contracts’ from October 2017 and in return they will receive a pay rise. Employees would also have to accept unpaid breaks and be required to work on Bank Holidays if necessary.
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Asda staff who opt in to the ‘flexible contract’ will see their hourly pay rate reach £8.50 (€9.80) marking a rise of 14% from the current rate of £7.44 (€8.52), or 13% as compared with the new UK National Living Wage Rate of £7.50 (€8.56) due to come into force on 01 April 2017 that will cover all the group’s staff. In return staff will have to work on Bank Holidays if Asda needs them to and if they refuse will have to allocate one of their 28 annual leave days in lieu. Other staff concessions

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