M&S has announced plans to:
- Consolidate Sunday and night shift premiums into the hourly rate of pay for its 70,000 store staff.
- Close the final salary pension scheme to new contributions from existing members, who will be moved to a different scheme.
- Review the viability of stores, which will report in the Autumn and could lead to closures.
David Gill – Usdaw National Officer says: “We have been contacted by many of our members in Marks and Spencer who are very concerned about the proposed big changes to their pay and pension, along with the threat of Autumn store closures. Particularly as the company are threatening to sack any staff who do not accept the contractual changes.
“Usdaw is the independent trade union for M&S staff and we urge the company to get round the table and engage with us. In the meantime we are asking staff to ensure they raise their concerns with the company’s staff association representatives, the BIG Group, so management is in no doubt of the strength of feeling that members have around the proposals and that they should not proceed with the changes announced.
“M&S staff need a voice and it is inadequate to rely on feedback from a company organised staff association when Usdaw is the independent trade union. We are providing the support and advice that our members require at this time of uncertainty.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fourth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 440,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 17% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the Union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter
@UsdawUnion