The family of an Asda worker who died after collapsing ahead of a meeting about a new contract claim the firm has blood on its hands.
Irene Staples was under pressure to sign a “flexible” contract, worsening her working conditions and cutting her pay, or face being sacked on November 2.
Shortly before a meeting with bosses on July 29 to discuss the new contract, Irene, 66, collapsed at work after an undetected brain aneurysm burst.
She never regained consciousness and died 12 days later. Doctors told her family that stress could have caused the aneurysm to rupture.
Her devastated daughter Lindsay Staples, 41, said: “I feel like Asda have killed my mum. I want people to know how they treat their own staff. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.
“I asked my mum’s consultant and was told that stress could have been a reason for it rupturing. You could tell she was stressed about what was going to happen with her job.
“Asda have taken away my mum’s life and ruined the lives of all those who loved her. She gave 20 years to that company and look how they repay her.
“They clearly don’t care about their staff. It’s disgusting.”
Irene, from Doncaster, South Yorks, was a part-time shelf stacker at the Asda Carcroft Superstore in the town, working the 10pm to 6am night shift every Sunday and Monday.
Under the new deal, the premium rate paid for night work would apply from midnight to 5am, instead of all eight hours.
She would lose her paid breaks and her hours of work could be changed at just four weeks’ notice.
The GMB staged a mass protest against the new contracts this week outside Asda HQ in Leeds.
Gary Carter, GMB National Officer, said: “Asda is a multi-billion- pound, highly profitable company – it can afford to treat staff better than this.”
An Asda spokeswoman said: “We understand this is a very emotional time for the family. We are continuing to contact them to offer help whenever they feel ready to talk.”
