A local GMB member suggested to us that Asda had been affected by the controversy over the new contract. He told us, “the one thing they hate is all the bad publicity”—Bay Life, 21 October 2019
GMB, the union for Asda workers, has written to company bosses calling on them not to sack 12,000 workers just before Christmas
In an open letter to senior vice president Hayley Tatum, GMB calls on the company to withdraw its threat to sack all workers who don’t sign the controversial Contract 6 on November 2.
Last week Asda workers handed in a 23,000 strong petition opposing the contract to Asda HW during a mass protest in Leeds.
Hundreds of people from across the UK gathered in Leeds to voice their anger.
Asda workers have been told to sign the contracts – which will see them lose all their paid breaks and forced to work bank holidays – or be sacked on November 2 in the run up the Christmas.
Dr Who star Paul Mcgann, who also starred in cult hit Withnail and I and Aliens 3, and Rob Delaney, who appeared in Catastrophe and Deadpool 2, both leant their support to Asda workers.
Latest company accounts show directors trousered a whopping £12million last year – and profits rocketed more than £92 million – at the same time Asda slashed 5,000 jobs
Gary Carter, GMB National Officer, said:
“If Asda is serious about not wanting to sack thousands its employees on the run up to Christmas, they need to withdraw the dismissal notices and sit down with GMB to resolve this dispute.
“Asda has served notice on up to 12,000 of its loyal employees – that can not be right.
Asda says 95% of its hourly paid staff will be financially better off under the new contract.
The new contract increases the base rate of pay for shop workers to £9 per hour from £8.21 per hour, also excluding premiums based on location or for special skills such as bakery.
The company also says that existing benefits will stay, including an annual bonus, share save scheme and staff discount.
They point out that festive bank holidays of Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day will continue to be “voluntary” with pay at double time.
They also argue that the new contracts are about “an investment of more than £80m” and that they are not about cutting costs.
An Asda spokesperson said: “We have been clear that we don’t want any of our colleagues to leave us and while the vast majority of colleagues have chosen to sign the new contract, we continue to have conversations with those who have chosen not to, to try to understand their concerns.
Locally, the threat to Asda jobs is known.
Writing on the Bay Life newsfeed, Jayne Howard said, “but I suspect the ‘overwhelming number of staff’ didn’t want to sign the new contract. It was that, or unemployment.
A local GMB member suggested to Bay Life that Asda had been affected by the controversy over the new contract. He told us, “the one thing they hate is all the bad publicity”
