ASDA and Bank Holiday 2nd January 2012

squidgysponge

I work for Asda, and this year Asda has decided that our store will be open Saturday and Sunday as normal. Because of this they have also decided that 2nd January 2012 is not a bank holiday and are refusing to pay anyone time and a half. They are instead treating it as a normal day and expecting colleagues to work their shifts as normal.

Why a company like Asda would want to start off a new year like this is beyond me, because if they are allowed to do this it will obviously mean that the store will be open every day of the year and no bank holidays will be paid extra for.

I've asked our head of personnel and it is " a bone of contention" apparently, but all managers have been told to inform colleagues that this is how it is. Most collegues are unaware that this is the case as it has not been discussed openly.

What are they playing at??????

wantnomoneyworries

Have you spoken to your union?

squidgysponge

We don't have a union, or if we do I'm not aware of it.

WestonDave

Presumably it depends if they are treating Sunday 1st as a normal Sunday for pay purposes or as a "public holiday" so the extra pay accrues on that day. It would make more sense to pay people a premium rate for the 1st if the shop is open because those people working might have to curtail their New Year celebrations to be in a fit state to work.

There is also a growing trend to remove the distinction between bank holidays and other holidays - the law now requires employers to give 5.6 weeks holiday which equates to 20 days (4 weeks) normal holiday plus 8 bank holidays (1.6 weeks). For employers like Asda where bank holidays have little significance to opening, it makes some sense to treat them all as holiday provided their contracts can enable this to happen.

SarEl

squidgysponge wrote: »

We don't have a union, or if we do I'm not aware of it.

You do - I am aware of three unions that have members in ASDA. Perhaps it is time to get aware of it?

squidgysponge

Please let me know which ones!

atilla

Question is.
Is 2nd of January a Bank Holiday?

squidgysponge

Yes, it is indeed a bank holiday. Asda are saying Sunday is the bank holiday instead as the store is open as usual, even though my department is closed. And because the store closes at the normal time Sunday, it is saying Monday is not a bank holiday.

SarEl

squidgysponge wrote: »

Please let me know which ones!

UNITE, GMB, USDAW

And do not advertise the fact that you are looking to join a union. Speak to the unions outside work. Wal-Mart are union busters. You will be dismissed before you have got the ink to dry. Join whichever union has members locally to you, and leave complaining to their full-time officials.

mountainofdebt

without wishing to sound as if I'm talking to a five year old - which ones do you think?

Try for starters the shopworkers union - usdaw?

tight_scotsman

atilla wrote: »

Question is.
Is 2nd of January a Bank Holiday?

it is in scotland yippeeee
think it was brought in because we were so !!!!ed out our faces that no one ever turned up anyway think it started in the early seventies :beer:

happy hogmanay everyone