[Ammi]

An autistic man who was told he had to stop stacking shelves at the Waitrose supermarket where he had volunteered for four years has now been offered a job by a rival chain.
Frances Boyd said she was "overwhelmed" by how people had responded to her talking about her 28-year-old son's experiences at Waitrose's store in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester.
Tom Boyd had been working unpaid there since 2021, accompanied by a support worker. When Frances asked in July if her son could be offered "just a few paid hours", Waitrose head office told her Tom's work experience placement had to end.
Frances said: "We've had some great news - Asda have offered him two five-hour paid shifts a week."
'Raising awareness'
She added: "It's overwhelming and they are flexible to say if at any time he is struggling they are fine.
"How amazing that a company could do this."
Tom received the backing of Greater Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham, who posted on X that Tom had received "truly terrible" treatment and promised to "support him to find another placement that works".
He said Greater Manchester Combined Authority "would encourage all employers, including Waitrose, to sign up to our brand new Bee Neuroinclusive Code of Practice".
Speaking with Frances, who broke the news of Tom's job offer on BBC Radio Manchester, Burnham said: "Good on you for raising awareness because we need a huge awareness campaign here."
She accepted his on-air offer to be an advocate for the campaign.
Speaking on Wednesday, a Waitrose & Partners spokesman said it worked with a number of charities to provide work experience and was "well experienced in making reasonable adjustments to help people succeed at work".
"We are sorry to hear of Tom's story and whilst we cannot comment on individual cases, we are investigating as a priority."

Frances said her son, who has limited communication skills, started at the Waitrose store as part of his skills development for the workplace further education course, and volunteered two mornings a week.
She said he was "so proud of his work", which involved putting stock out and tidying the shelves, and was praised for his work ethic by managers.
"He gave over 600 hours of his time purely because he wanted to belong, contribute, and make a difference," she said.
Frances praised and thanked staff at the store for supporting him and said the decision to end his association had been taken by Waitrose head office.
She added: "They included him and were absolutely brilliant.
"I think he was just under the radar - all was running smoothly until it went to head office."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98n53dpzx6o

[Abra]

Honestly it's disgraceful that they hadn't offered to pay him in four years of work, and then to let him go after all of that. They were just exploiting a disabled man who wanted to contribute to society.

[Cherie]

I heard his Mum interviewed on Nick Ferrari yesterday hang your head in shame Waitrose, shocking way to treat someone who had given you 4 years unpaid hours

Well done ASDA

[Niamh.]

Disgusting they exploited him for years and fired him when he asked for something so small from them

[Ammi]

…it’s not as though Waitrose weren’t employing at that time …they took on other employees while placing the request for Tom to have some paid hours, to one side …he was left not being given yes or no while new employees were hired…after giving Waitrose…(…and them readily accepting…) …600 hours of unpaid work…

[Ammi]

[Swan]

This will cost Waitrose, especially with Christmas coming up, massive own goal.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Swan

This will cost Waitrose, especially with Christmas coming up, massive own goal.

...Waitrose are just all in all such a poor supermarket anyway, imo and so expensively poor…that they were continuing to accept his unpaid work until a few paid hours were requested is quite shocking…

[Cherie]

Boycott Waitrose not that I ever shop there at any rate

[Swan]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...Waitrose are just all in all such a poor supermarket anyway, imo and so expensively poor…that they were continuing to accept his unpaid work until a few paid hours were requested is quite shocking…

I do rate their meal deals, and chicken breast, get that stuff quite often. But yeah, as far as the weekly shop goes i never go there. Like you say, very overpriced and not particularly the best quality. But for a sandwich and chicken breast, they're pretty good. Sainsbury's is my weekly go to though.

[arista]

Good on Asda UK

[Crimson Dynamo]

Well done to Asda

[Oliver_W]

If they were never intending to give him paid work, they should have found a tactful way to move him on. It's just horrible they strung him along like that.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Oliver_W

If they were never intending to give him paid work, they should have found a tactful way to move him on. It's just horrible they strung him along like that.

yeah like he was obviously doing the job so they could have paid him, discrimination at its finest, if the family had a mind to I am sure they could sue

[Vicky.]

I thought Waitrose and Asda were the same company for some reason

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

I thought Waitrose and Asda were the same company for some reason

…Waitrose is owned by the John Lewis Partnership…did Walmart buy Asda…?…/…Arista will know, he’s most wise…

[arista]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

I thought Waitrose and Asda were the same company for some reason

Waitrose are Up Market
shocking, they dumped a worker
who was happy not getting paid.


Good on his Mother

And Well Done Asda UK
happy to give this worker money
for a job.

[Vicky.]

I think it's arista who made me think this, sure he used to make threads about Asda/Walmart

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

I think it's arista who made me think this, sure he used to make threads about Asda/Walmart

…he’s probably the one who owns them all…..

[arista]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

I think it's arista who made me think this, sure he used to make threads about Asda/Walmart

Yes as Many Great Deals
all due to Walmart helping Asda UK




Now they are no Longer with Walmat


Now Two Rich Brothers
co owning Asda UK
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohsin_and_Zuber_Issa

[Ray.]

Well the Asda thing was inevitable. Not that it necessarily had to be Asda, but SOME supermarket giant was gonna take full advantage of this horrorshow handling by Waitrose.

Asda when they saw this story break:

Youtube video