GMB Union Fights for John Lewis & Waitrose Workers
What’s happening? John Lewis and Waitrose just cut redundancy pay to half, sparking a wave of fear among the staff.
Why the panic?
- The half‑price cut raises the alarm that a full blow‑out of jobs might follow when senior managers cough up the savings.
- Workers worry that the new “partner” model might look like nice jargon, but the reality feels more like jargon for a pay cut.
- Most felt they were asked to sign off on the changes without truly being consulted.
GMB’s Take
“Our members are shaken and scared about what lies ahead,” says Nadine Houghton, GMB’s National Officer. “They’re glued to their future, especially knowing JLP doesn’t really support union membership.”
The union is calling attention to:
- • Work Council’s role: Next week the council will hear the changes and might be forced to give a thumbs‑up while also facing job‑cut warnings.
- • Company’s “cost‑neutral” claim: JLP claims they’ll simply shift savings into partner wages, but any employee who loses a job won’t see a silver lining.
- • “Partners” vs. employees: “(The term%)” JLP uses has been a cloak, not a bond.
Future Outlook
A larger GMB membership base means new power ripples; managers will find it harder to pull out the same moves without:
- Employee involvement.
- A firm union presence.
Frankly, the union sees this as a moment to double down: “The more staff we bring into GMB, the less likely managers can waltz past their responsibilities in the future.”
