M&S workers turn to unions

Retail giant Marks and Spencer, which does not recognise unions, last month backtracked on plans to cut premium payments.

Company plans to reduce double-time payments for Sunday and bank holiday working to time-and-a-half from next April, announced in June, prompted a backlash from staff who started turning to unions for help. Two unions, shopworkers' union USDAW and the T&G general union, reported that staff were joining.

The planned cuts (and consolidation of the Christmas bonus) have now been reversed for existing staff but do apply to those who joined the company from 6 July. Existing employees are also to be compensated for reduced payments resulting from a change next year in "unsocial hours" arrangements.

M&S argues that the reward package "is one of the top three available on the high street" but admits that its plans were revised in response to "feedback".

USDAW's deputy general secretary, John Hannett, said: "It was clear from the large number of calls we received from disgruntled M&S staff that the workforce was very unhappy".

The T&G, which is campaigning against the contracting-out of store detectives' jobs, talks of "a new climate of fear over pay cuts, anxiety over job security and shock that the company's consultation has failed to listen to staff concerns".

Ten angry store detectives took their grievances to the M&S shareholders' meeting.