Traffic disruption on these Leeds roads as Asda workers march against new contracts

Asda workers are to stage a protest in Leeds on Wednesday against new contracts which they say will make them worse off.
Leeds city centre.Leeds city centre.
Leeds city centre.

Rolling road closures will be in place as protesters march from City Square at noon to the Tetley car park, close to national headquarters Asda House, with West Yorkshire Police controlling traffic.

-> Outrage as thousands of Asda staff 'facing the sack' over new work contractsLeeds City Council said: "Where possible, and subject to the numbers of protesters attending, protesters will walk with the flow of traffic."

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Members of the GMB union are voicing their opposition to the so-called Contract 6.

The GMB said workers face being dismissed in early November if they do not sign the contracts.

It said under the new contracts, workers will not be paid for any breaks and will have to work on bank holidays and weekends.

Justin Bowden, GMB national officer, said: "In the boardroom it may be all about the bottom line but out in the stores this is about real people's lives being pulled apart with often devastating consequences.

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"This is about values and reasonableness and respect for hard-working staff from a billion-pound company.

"Telling dedicated workers to sign up no matter what the consequences to their personal lives or lose their jobs in the run-up to Christmas is truly shocking.

"Asda must get round the table, negotiate with GMB and stop Contract 6 ruining people's lives."

-> 'It was sign it or leave basically': Leeds Asda worker of 15 years said many staff faced with new contract will leaveAn Asda spokesman said: "The retail sector is undergoing significant change and it is important that we are able to keep pace with these changes.

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"The overwhelming majority of our colleagues have signed onto the new contracts and while we appreciate that some of our colleagues find the changes more unsettling, we do not want any of them to leave.

"This contract is about increasing the take-home pay of more than 100,000 retail colleagues through an investment of more than £80 million and ensuring that everyone doing the same job is on the same terms and conditions."

The march will start at City Square at noon before making its way along:

Boar Lane

Mill Hill

Bishopgate Street

Neville Street

Victoria Road

Great Wilson Street

Meadow Lane

and Hunslet Road, before finishing at the Tetley coach park.

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