'One in three Asda workers attacked at work'

One in three Asda staff have been attacked at work, according to research that included reports of workers being stabbed, punched and threatened with syringes.

In the poll of almost 1,000 Asda staff by GMB union, workers revealed how they had been spat at, suffered broken bones, been hit with bottles and had death threats against them and their children.

Delivery drivers have been chased by people in cars and been confronted by customers in the nude, while store workers have had watermelons and joints of gammon thrown at them. Some also reported being verbally abused on alcohol sale refusal.

In total, 339 people (35 per cent) said they had been a victim of verbal or physical violence whilst carrying out their job role.

The results of the survey - which will be discussed at at GMB’s annual congress in Bournemouth today (11) - also saw 58 per cent of respondents said they had suffered injury or illness at work

Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer, said, “These incidents are horrifying – no one should have suffer this kind of abuse and violence at work.

“But this situation is only going to get worse as staff hours are slashed, leaving less people in store and those who are there more vulnerable. An estimated eight million staff hours have been cut by Asda as the owners – TDR capital – desperately try to pay the interest on billions of pounds worth of debt.

“Meanwhile workers and customers suffer health and safety breaches, fire hazard and hygiene standards plummeting. Asda staff on the front line and customers in the aisles are the ones who bear the brunt of this financial chicanery.”