The four biggest UK supermarkets, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons, are all facing a slew of equal pay cases. For years in-store workers, who are mostly women, have not been paid fairly and are now seeking financial redress.
In this article, we explain the basis of the legal cases being brought against these supermarkets – and what to do if you’re eligible and wish to join the group action.
How UK supermarkets have imposed inequality
At the heart of the legal cases being brought against these supermarkets is their failure to pay in-store workers a comparable wage to employees working in distribution centres.
This difference in pay grades has been widespread and implicitly reinforces the gender pay gap – treating work done by store workers, who are typically women, as of lesser value than their colleagues working in distribution centres, who are mostly men. This is unlawful under The Equality Act.
In the case of Tesco, store workers believe they have been paid up to £3 less per hour than distribution centre workers.
Collective Redress
Legal groups have suggested that supermarket store workers could be owed thousands of pounds in compensation. As a result, groups of past and present employees are bringing a case for the compensation of wages they have not been paid.
According to the unions and other legal groups leading the action against the supermarkets, a successful claim could equal up to six years’ back pay for any worker who joins the group litigation.
This would be another landmark case of collective redress – one of the only ways for UK citizens to stand up to big businesses.
How do I know if I am eligible?
To be eligible to bring a claim for financial redress you must be a current or former employee of one of these supermarkets.
While female store worker claims will lead the equal pay case, their male colleagues will also be eligible for the same level of compensation and back pay if successful.
So, anyone who has worked at one of these stores in England or Wales in the last six years in an hourly paid job may be eligible to claim.
What if I still work there?
One thing that may be causing some confusion or hesitation when it comes to joining the action is if you are still employed by one of these supermarkets. Could joining the group claim affect your relationship with your employer?
Thankfully, when you claim against an employer, the law automatically protects you from any act of retaliation. This means that your employer cannot cannot treat you any differently for joining the equal pay claim and certainly cannot fire or dismiss you.
So if you think you’ve been affected by the underpayment of store workers there’s nothing stopping you from joining the group litigation.
How do you make a claim?
As UK citizens we need to stop these practices – today Tesco continues to operate with unequal pay. However, taking a giant like Tesco to court may seem totally unrealistic.
Harcus Parker is a reputable law firm that is making it easy and straightforward for people to join an equal pay claim.
They are currently pursuing claims against Britain’s largest supermarket chain, Tesco. There are already 47,000 claimants, but it is believed that the case could affect 600,000 Tesco employees past and present. Harcus Parker is encouraging anyone who might have been affected to join the claim
See if you’re eligible to join the claim
Once you have signed up to join, there is not much more that you need to do. Harkus Parker will let you know if you are eligible and, if so, invite you to formally join the action. They will then progress the claim on your behalf.
All you will need to do is track down any documentation regarding your work at a Tesco Store – so either a copy of your contract or payslips.
How long will it take and how much compensation might I get?
This may not be a quick win – the case has been going for 6 years and is expected to take up to another 4. However, rough estimates suggest that claimants who get six years of back pay could end up with compensation as high as £ 60,000. Even the average expected is around £10,000.
If you don’t join the group claim you might not receive any financial compensation. So, if you currently or have previously worked at Tesco over the past six years it is definitely worth joining the group action.
Their expert team will help fight your corner and hold Tesco accountable for its actions.
The future of group litigation
Pay Justice, who are involved in actions against the four leading supermarkets and other retailers, estimates that up to 584,000 supermarket workers and more than 37,000 retail workers could be entitled to bring claims for equal pay.
So sign up for our newsletter if you want to stay up to speed with developments on further legal actions.