// Asda places 300 roles at risk of redundancy and cuts pay for 4,100 night workers
// The grocer is proposing to move some overnight restocking shifts at 184 stores to the daytime
Asda has unveiled a major shake-up of its store operations, putting close to 300 roles at risk and reducing pay for over 4,000 night workers.
The grocer is proposing to move some overnight restocking shifts at 184 stores to the daytime, placing 211 night shift manager roles at risk.
The changes will also affect 4,137 hourly paid workers, who will see shift patterns move to the daytime and lose their night shift pay premium of at least £2.52 per hour.
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The move will affect workers who currently restock ambient products, such as pasta and tinned food, in the stores between 7pm and midnight and staff restocking frozen food between 7pm and 1am.
Asda is also implementing a 25% cut to the opening hours of 23 in-store Post Office shops – which employ 23 managers and 200 other workers.
The cut comes after the grocer said it has noticed a decline in the number of customers using the Post Office service.
It will also shut seven in-store pharmacies, which employ 14 pharmacists and 48 other workers.
Asda retail director, Ken Towle said: “The retail sector is evolving at pace and it is vital we review changing customer preferences, along with our own ways of working, to ensure we are operating as efficiently as possible so that we can continue to invest and grow our business.
“We are now entering a period of consultation with our colleagues on these proposals.
“We recognise this will be a difficult time for them and will do all we can to support them through this process.”
