SUPERMARKET giant Asda has refused a meeting with Glasgow MPs over contract changes that could lose staff hundreds of pounds a year.

Asda wants to change staff contracts nationwide including the many stores and hundreds of workers in Glasgow and those who do not sign up will be sacked.

The changes will see a pay rise of less than 80p an hour in return for fewer holidays, paid breaks being scrapped, and a new rota that removes voluntary weekends and public holiday working.

Asda said the change is necessary to serve their customers in a competitive and fast changing retail environment.

All seven Glasgow MPs signed the letter, which stated discussions revealed an “unnecessary heavy hand on the part of Asda; staff being told in no uncertain terms that they either accept the new conditions or their employment will be terminated.”

Pay will rise from £8.21 an hour to £9 in return for the changes with an 18 month transition period for anyone worse off.

The MPs however said this was “derisory”.

The city’s six SNP MPs and one Labour MP said that the conditions would leave many “lagging behind” others in the retail industry and said their has been a “high handed imposition “ of the new contract with no regard for personal circumstance of staff who require flexibility in working hours to meet family or caring responsibilities including many single parents.

Asda said staff have until November to accept the new contract.

For those who don’t it said they will be issued with 12 weeks notice.

Roger Burnley, Asda Chief Executive, replied to the MPs and said he is too busy to meet then

He said: “Ultimately, we think it is right and fair that all hourly paid retail colleagues are moved from six different contract types to one. We have had some colleagues doing exactly the same work on varying terms and conditions, which we think is unfair.”