Delegates representing 5.6 union members unanimously back GMB call on Asda ‘respect your workers’

Loyal Asda workers are ‘instructed to keep smiling while being threatened with the sack’, TUC’s annual Congress was told in Brighton today.

The body – hundreds of delegates representing 5.6 million union members – unanimously told the supermarket to ‘respect your workers’ as it passed a motion today.

Asda has told employees they must sign the so-called 'flexible' Contract 6 which means they will no longer be paid for any breaks and be forced to work bank holidays and weekends.

If they don’t sign, they will be sacked on Saturday 2 November, in the run-up to Christmas.

Many GMB members have now been left with a choice – stop being able to look after their vulnerable relatives or lose their job.

Neil Derrick, GMB Regional Secretary, said:

“There’s an Asda store in nearly every town and city in England, Wales and Scotland.

“In every one of those there are women and men wearing the Asda uniform who keep smiling as instructed - all the while being threatened with the sack in just a matter of weeks.

“That’s the true ‘Asda price’ workers face paying for not signing up to this punishing new contract.

“This is a company taking on its own workforce, forcing a race to the bottom on terms and conditions in a sector which is desperate for responsible retailers.

“Asda should look after its customers in the best way possible – by looking after its own loyal and hardworking staff. It’s time for Asda to respect its workers.”

ENDS

Media enquiries: GMB Press Office on 07958 156846 or at [email protected]