Equal Pay/Leigh Day /Tom Hewitt/

[fargone]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocs5O2Gu7BU

[Tape measure]

Identity politics. It was fashionable and has been for the past several years or so.  Though now is very much central to how large companies can operate. They have fully embraced it and how it can rejuvenate their image. Yes of course the law is involved and employers have to protect their staff by law which I fully understand but while this is happening, in the background there are people who are feeling the financial squeeze.  People are wanting better workplace conditions and better pay. They want equality in all areas.

Companies love to advertise how diverse they are but stop and stutter it appears when salaries are involved. It can be so divided. Equality appears to fade away when money is involved.

What I have learnt from this thread is that there are those who appear to know much about this case though its not really fully understood and the case is live.  There are those who appear to know the outcome already! Those who appear to want it to fail it appears! There are those who have what I've always referred to as, job snobbery. Don't knock a job! Plus a hint of old fashioned sexism dare I say thrown in too!

I hope a solution can be made.  Listen to the experts involved and not scare mongers.
Remember that as boring as it appears. We are all part of this company and should appreciate how people feel and not be so bitter. It is about the customer. I know what you may think but it is.

Good luck.

[FatFraz]

Tape measure

[JL]

Lots of talk on TV -Question Time 

[Hammer10]

Most dc's  are desperate for new staff so why doesn't everyone who wants more pay transfer to one?.... simple!!!!!!!!!

Because most depots are miles from some tesco and no one wants to drive 2or 3 hours to work and then same home again.

[Carparkpothole]

Most staff at dc's have travelled thousands of miles to work at one. There are distribution  centres for any company all over the UK. This whole argument has nothing to do with gender at all.
If stores paid the same as dc's then there would be no vacancies in store and lack of staff in dc's  (trust me this would happen).

If there was an equal pay rate then Tesco could make store staff work at their nearest dc to cover lack of staff, known as needs of the business. Some people should be careful what they wish for.

[Welshie]

It's easy to get agency staff for DC and shop floor (I'm not saying they're any good) but they don't let agency staff work check-outs , customer services or pfs , so should those roles be paid more ?
Reality is if the DC guys don't pick it or  the shop floor guys don't put it on a shelf  or the check-outs guys aren't there to take the money or man self serve or scan as you shop , then the whole thing grinds to a halt . Everyone plays their part so does that mean it's of equal value ?

[Shafted]

Apparently different depots are on different rates of pay so for me I would find that more inconsistent than a comparison to stores. Location pay can mean some store pay is different to other parts of the country. Where do you draw the line? I work in a store and personally don't the work is comparable but is it of equal value? To the company it may well be as stated previously all the cogs have to turn to meet the customer expectation. Can you compare a cold warehouse to a store where the minute it's 18 degrees they're complaining its cold? Perhaps tesco need to look at the way pay is structured and include different elements for certain conditions. It will be interesting to see the outcome of this. Always some lawyer loooking to make a  name for themself and the cause may be successful but at the least it's more bad Tesco press. The woman on tv has worked here 20 years, could have mentioned it a bit sooner, wonder where she got the idea from?

[chris9997]

i dont see the claim being successful as tesco will recone that they are two seperate companies tesco stores ltd and tesco distribution ltd in both areas men and women earn the same its just different in different environments, if the big t had any idea of a win they will put the best legal teams together and if they spend £xxx millions doing so it will be considered well spent compaired to the £4bn+, however if it did win and they spent the £4bn and the cost of lawyers who knows.

[redcar renegade]

I work in  a D.C and all members of staff earn the same rate of pay. I work loading trailers in the recent cold weather i was working at -3 c when its scorching hot you suffer. Not to belittle any store staff but come to Middlesbrough D.C try it if you like the working conditions get a transfer but may i point out we are not on £11/hr like in tbe press, female, male or what ever you consider yourself all welcome come give it a try

[OpShunned]

Distribution's biggest concern currently isn't this one but the Booker merger looming large on the horizon. Personally, I wouldn't advise anyone 'giving it a try' because in 6 months time you could be staring down the barrel of something nasty (synergised  )...Anyway its good to see this topic has attracted more interest than it did last March when it surfaced. Saw very little support for it back then, in fact there more was objection than support. Colleagues wanted to see how it panned out with Asda and sainsburys before committing to the cause.

Anyone reading who wants to take it up with Leigh Day, and instead of trawling back through for contact details here they are. .. and good luck.

https://www.leighday.co.uk/Employment-discrimination/Current-cases/Tesco-equal-pay-claim

Tesco Equal Pay Claim


Leigh Day is currently bringing a claim on behalf of Tesco store workers for equal pay. We are doing so to promote equality and challenge how large retailers pay their employees in different areas of their business.

Equal pay claims

Equal pay claims for supermarket employees are about whether hourly-paid store staff carry out work that is of "equal value" to that carried out by the staff who work in the distribution centres. The staff working in the stores are mostly women and the staff working in the distribution centres are mostly men. 

If it is shown that their work is of equal value, and we can show that the reason for the difference in pay is due to their gender and cant be justified, then the equal pay claims will be successful. We believe that we will be successful in these equal pay claims against Tesco as well as those we are running against Asda and Sainsburys.

Who can claim?

Anyone, female or male, who has worked at a Tesco store in England, Northern Ireland or Wales in the last six years, or Scotland in the last five years.

If you have worked for Tesco for more than 6 years will be entitled to the maximum amount of back pay.

Should you wish to instruct Leigh Day to represent you in this claim, please contact us at tescoequalpay@leighday.co.uk or on 0800 689 0570

Please be assured that strong victimisation laws are in place to prevent any negative action being taken against you for bringing an equal pay claim. If you have any concerns about this, you can call 0207 650 1228 and speak to our team in confidence.

[Carparkpothole]

So lower rate warehouse staff can apply then?
Which depots hourly rate are they matching up with?
Will the claim, if successful, lead to a recession in the UK?
Has anybody thought that the customer for a dc is the store and not the general public?
Store staff are employed by Tesco stores and DC staff are employed by Tesco distribution where different skills are required. Could that be the difference?

[Hammer10]

All the same company

[Nomad]

I'm not surprised that a considerable number of VLH members think this claim will fail, what is surprising is the number that hope it will fail.  After all it is not about lowering other peoples earnings.

[lordadmiral]

So is it mean that hard working , multiskilled store staff should be paid more aswell.
Where to sign???!!!

[OpShunned]

So was I Nomad. After all, isn't it better when everyone gains, each is pulled up by the one in front?

The likelihood anyway is that Tesco colleagues' fate relies on what happens to Asda and Sainsbury's claim, given the exact nature (almost) of the conditions. Will Distribution colleagues try to garner sympathy and support when they get 'Synergised'? I will support them.

[Duracell]

I'm not surprised that a considerable number of VLH members think this claim will fail, what is surprising is the number that hope it will fail.  After all it is not about lowering other peoples earnings.

I don't think it will fail, I don't hope it will fail.

My opinion is the claim is a stretch and a bit flawed, the claim is not strong enough to Win more to the point. Yes go for it! you have nothing to lose directly. Like it has been said by both stances it's more complicated and far reaching than simply a gender based comparison.

[yelsel]

If I signed up for this do I have to pay them or do they take a percentage of the award if by any chance they won

[his scots tie]

A percentage is taken by Leigh Day,no win no fee,25%.

[Flatout]

If you live in London and get extra "location pay" does that mean those who don't get it have a claim as the job is of "equal value", The principle of this case really says this must happen. . Personally I hate the sexual discrimination slant put on this case, as his has nothing to do with men earning more than women, it's about stores and DC's.
I can't say i know enough background about this case, but you apply for a job knowing what the salary is.
Not a fan of how tesco is now run, but think there is something fundamentally flawed with this case.

[Nomad]

"but you apply for a job knowing what the salary is. " What you don't know and are not told by MM or union is what others are getting who are doing similar work, and sometimes even doing the identical job you are applying for, but you get less on new T&C's.

[Welshie]

Is location pay paid as basic pay or is it a separate allowance like night shift premiums etc ?

[Carparkpothole]

I work in store, no way would I work in a dc.
The implication of a win for the store workers is giving me nightmares as the implications could cripple the whole UK forever.
Yes you may get a payout but that would be wiped out when the economy crashes.

[OpShunned]

with all due respect, you work for a company that carries approx 14 Billion debt, has a pension deficit of approx 6.6billion, is losing market share to the Germans year on year, is struggling to make a profit, has increased sales at a rate less than the food price inflation, faces increased costs for importing food when we leave Europe, has a boardroom that appears to be in perpetual flux, is only halfway through a 1.5 billion cost savings exercise just to keep afloat, has hoodwinked a perfectly prosperous outfit like Booker into accepting Tesco as a blood-sucking parasite on its back and yet you are losing sleep because your colleagues may get a decent pay-rise and get what may be due to them?

Wait until the penny drops at Morrisons. David Potts (ex-tesco) will be spitting his cornflakes out pmsl

[Equalizer87]

I have to agree with OpShunned.

This is just another part of the the black hole that is Tesco. Booker will suffer as have all other aspects of the company has.

In my opinion, the Booker deal is only there to cement their CEO as DL's  replacement.

How this deal went ahead with (worthless) Tesco shares being used as currency is criminal.