58 year-old Asda worker sacked for buying rolls

Fran Edwards, a 58-year-old employee of ASDA in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, has been sacked for buying some cut-price rolls and having £3 of her own cash in her pocket.

Submitted by Steven. on December 16, 2005

Ms Edwards has worked at the ASDA store for two years but had been off sick until recently while recovering from two operations. By having £3 cash in her pocket while working she was breaching ASDA cash handling rules.

In an interview with the Eastern Daily Press, she said, "When they suspended me they said I should have known not to have done what I've did - but after all that's happened to me since 2003, it's difficult to remember something I once read then. It's simply me forgetting - and besides, everyone does the same thing. It's not fair they've singled me out, this is a crazy decision.”

Ms Edwards earned £180 for a 34-hour week but will now be looking to go on Jobseeker's Allowance. She will be attending an appeal against the decision, represented by the GMB union today, however there will likely be industrial action at ASDA George in Castle Mall if she is not reinstated.

This follows news that ASDA managers n Wakefield instructed Asian staff over tannoy to present their passports, in order to prove they had permission to work in the UK. Many of the staff who's 'foreign sounding' names were publicly read out by the statement, a botched and discriminatory attempt to comply with regulations intended for new employees, had been working for ASDA for upto 15 years.

ASDA, and it's parent company Wal-Mart are well known for poor treatment of workers. The GMB union has been attempting to organise workers at the company (see http://www.gmbinasda.unionweb.co.uk/) while charging ASDA with union-busting employment practices. The GMB has also been reporting the possibility of strikes at two depots in the UK, alongside other possible actions elsewhere, However, no industrial action has been taken as yet.

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