// John Lewis and Waitrose employees claimed they receive less than the “real living wage”
// The removal of staff bonuses came as the company sought a radical turnaround
The John Lewis Partnership has faced complaints of “poverty wages” after the suspension of staff bonuses.
The removal of bonuses came as the company sought a radical turnaround.
Some John Lewis and Waitrose employees claimed they receive less than the “real living wage” of £9.50 per hour, or £10.85 in London.
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Workers shared letters describing financial difficulties and have launched an open petition via the Organise platform urging the firm to review their rates.
The campaign, which claims one in five John Lewis workers do not receive the real living wage has attracted nearly 30,000 signatories.
The petition says: “The John Lewis Partnership prides itself (and sells itself) on being employee-owned, which is supposed to make it a fairer, more ethical business.
“There’s nothing fair or ethical about paying your employees less than a living wage. The Partnership must change this and pay all Partners what we deserve.”
John Lewis said the hourly rate for all non-management partners was £10.32, above the “real living wage”, for the majority of UK staff.
Minimum rates of pay are on average 15 per cent higher then the official national minimum wage.
John Lewis said it has committed to raising the pay to at least the real living wage when it makes an annual profit of more than £200 million.
The retailer is enduring turbulence as it closes stores and cuts costs.
Its prized staff bonus was scrapped last year for the first time since 1953 and will not be reinstated until 2022 at the earliest.
The retailer is scheduled to report its half-year results next week.
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