Trouble in store Sainsbury’s staff hit by shake-up

STAFF at Sainsbury’s face taking a pay cut or getting the boot under a shake-up announced yesterday.

Up to 10,000 workers will be affected by a root and branch overhaul of the way stores are run.

Deputy managers in 600 stores are being replaced by fewer new “operations managers”.

Meanwhile, all department managers, store supervisors and team leaders are being scrapped, with a new role of “customer and trading manager” created.

Staff will be able to apply for the new jobs, but there will be fewer of them.

And while some will be better off financially, others face a choice of either swallowing a demotion and a cut pay, or taking redundancy.

Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s retail and operations director, said “The proposals will introduce a more efficient and effective structure”. The firm is also slashing costs by £500million over three years amid fierce competition. But one Sainsbury’s worker, who risks being nearly £3,000 a year worse off, called it “a kick in the teeth”.

The staffer told the Mirror: “I have a family to provide for, and a mortgage.

“We struggle as it is. To lose this role in June will be a huge blow and I don’t know what we’ll do.” Bev Clarkson, acting national officer for food and drink at union Unite, said: “This is very bad news for those dedicated workers affected by the planned job losses.

“Unite will give our members maximum support at this difficult time.”

The blow came just 24 hours after rival Tesco announced it was axing 1,700 jobs, but creating another 900.

Workers could end up taking a pay cut