Dogs Sleeping Forum

Tesco has now become the latest victim in the pursuit of equal pay which could cost an estimated £4 billion if agreed. Apparently the dispute is over pay scales between distribution centre warehouse workers and the supermarket staff but women seem to be looking at it as a gender pay gap by claiming 'female supermarket workers earn up to £3 an hour less than male warehouse workers'. They don't mention that men work in supermarkets too! Neither do they mention that some women actually work in the warehouse centres.

There is much waffle of 'comparable work' and 'equal value', so if that is the case, how come those complaining never applied to work in the warehouse centres where they could earn a higher rate? I've never worked in either but imagine warehouse work to be significantly more manual requiring a good level of physical fitness, where a supermarket is much cleaner work, light duties requiring little physical effort, not to mention a more comfortable environment.

Equal pay for the same work has long been law but in the case of the supermarket dispute i do not see it as the same work at all. If they win their case, then i expect all supermarkets will struggle to retain or recruit staff for their distribution centres and there will be a mass exodus of staff heading for comfy chairs at the checkouts or lifting packets of tissues on to the shelves.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -up-to-4bn

I agree with you but sn't it the case that warehouse staff also work within the store at quiet periods between deliveries at this higher rate? I think that labelling this as a gender issue is legally on ripply water considering the mix of genders at the front of shop.

Tesco Equal pay for Warehouse Staff and shop Staff ?

Warehouse staff have to take a course and pass an exam to operate Fork lift Trucks, do shop staff need an exam to push a trolley ??

Snookerballs wrote:Tesco Equal pay for Warehouse Staff and shop Staff ?

Warehouse staff have to take a course and pass an exam to operate Fork lift Trucks, do shop staff need an exam to push a trolley ??

It's unregulated though. Why should they have enhanced wages when on the tills?

Stooo wrote:I agree with you but isn't it the case that warehouse staff also work within the store at quiet periods between deliveries at this higher rate? I think that labelling this as a gender issue is legally on ripply water considering the mix of genders at the front of shop.

I don't know about the bib Stoo but as an example Sainsbury's warehouse for my locality is miles from their nearest supermarket. No idea where the others are but if that's anything to go by, they'd be expecting their workers to travel miles from their normal commute. Yes i don't understand why the women workers appear to be pushing it as such as everyone knows men also work in supermarket stores doing the identical work. When it comes to the distribution centres they don't seem so keen to mention women work there too though!

Grafenwalder wrote:

Stooo wrote:I agree with you but isn't it the case that warehouse staff also work within the store at quiet periods between deliveries at this higher rate? I think that labelling this as a gender issue is legally on ripply water considering the mix of genders at the front of shop.

I don't know about the bib Stoo but as an example Sainsbury's warehouse for my locality is miles from their nearest supermarket. No idea where the others are but if that's anything to go by, they'd be expecting their workers to travel miles from their normal commute. Yes i don't understand why the women workers appear to be pushing it as such as everyone knows men also work in supermarket stores doing the identical work. When it comes to the distribution centres they don't seem so keen to mention women work there to though!

I deliver to a major supermarket distribution depot and it's a pretty evenly mixed gender pool. In another life I employed people as general assistants which stopped a lot of crap like this.

Women are taking the action on the following prinicpal; an employer cannot pay less for work of equal value if you have a protected characteristic. If they are able to prove to work is of equal value to the company then they will win the case and be compensated. The men who have the same job as the women who (if successful) have proved their work is of equal value will then also get compensated as otherwise they will have been discriminated against.

So its sort of a two step process, imo cynically using equal pay legislation, but interesting to watch. Of course it will just just increase the rate of automation as the amounts being talked about (£4bn )will drive any company to get rid of as many people as possible- men and women.

I remember when I worked at Argos, that if you had the chance, you worked on the front because it was about as easy a job as you could possibly do. I would imagine its a similar story at Tescos, where the hardest thing perma floor staff have to do is answer a question when somebody cant find something.

I would also imagine, like in abattoirs, people who work in the colder temps, get paid a little more.

What Tesco should do is enforce than female staff must also work in the warehouse to obtain the same pay. You will soon see this case fizzle away.

Guest wrote:Women are taking the action on the following prinicpal; an employer cannot pay less for work of equal value if you have a protected characteristic. If they are able to prove to work is of equal value to the company then they will win the case and be compensated. The men who have the same job as the women who (if successful) have proved their work is of equal value will then also get compensated as otherwise they will have been discriminated against.

So its sort of a two step process, imo cynically using equal pay legislation, but interesting to watch. Of course it will just just increase the rate of automation as the amounts being talked about (£4bn )will drive any company to get rid of as many people as possible- men and women.

It would put Tesco at risk and therefore its half a million strong workforce...

I will be shocked if this goes anywhere really. As I said, Tesco should offer the pay increase on the condition that they also do the warehouse work, which would also include helping load and unload home delivery trucks, in winter, at minus 5.... This is how all cases like this should be dealt with. Offer the increase and increase the work load and risks. Simple.

Lionel Jesse wrote:I remember when I worked at Argos, that if you had the chance, you worked on the front because it was about as easy a job as you could possibly do. I would imagine its a similar story at Tescos, where the hardest thing perma floor staff have to do is answer a question when somebody cant find something.

I would also imagine, like in abattoirs, people who work in the colder temps, get paid a little more.

What Tesco should do is enforce than female staff must also work in the warehouse to obtain the same pay. You will soon see this case fizzle away.

I could understand their whinge better if females applying for warehouse work were being constantly turned down for some reason but that's obviously not the case as there are a number of female staff working in them already. If they succeed with this case then warehouse workers may as well apply to sit at supermarket checkouts where it's much cleaner and lighter work.

Snookerballs wrote:Tesco Equal pay for Warehouse Staff and shop Staff ?

Warehouse staff have to take a course and pass an exam to operate Fork lift Trucks, do shop staff need an exam to push a trolley ??

You are over-egging 'taking a course' and 'passing an exam' - you'd have to be a fucking imbecile not be able to drive a forklift truck at 4mph and press a button to lift up a pallet.

Red Okktober wrote:

Snookerballs wrote:Tesco Equal pay for Warehouse Staff and shop Staff ?

Warehouse staff have to take a course and pass an exam to operate Fork lift Trucks, do shop staff need an exam to push a trolley ??

You are over-egging 'taking a course' and 'passing an exam' - you'd have to be a fucking imbecile not be able to drive a forklift truck at 4mph and press a button to lift up a pallet.

Then why don't supermarket staff apply for that work instead of whining about the warehouse workers earning a higher rate?

Tesco should pay their employees whatever the hell they want to pay them .people dont have to take the bloody job. If women are doing the equal job to men they should be paid the same(factoring in experience etc.)
I am sure stooo doesnt pay everyone equally in his pub.

Tesco should pay their employees whatever the hell they want to pay them .people dont have to take the bloody job. If women are doing the equal job to men they should be paid the same(factoring in experience etc.)
I am sure stooo doesnt pay everyone equally in his pub.

I don't understand this at all. The people are the warehouse are doing a completely different job to the ones at the supermarket, whether they're male or female.