Threat hanging over thousands of store staff

UP to 10,000 Sainsbury’s workers will face the sack if they don’t sign a new contract that could leave them worse off.

The supermarket giants last week announced a £100million investment in the store’s 130,000 staff – with an hourly pay rate rise from £8 to £9.20, or £9.80 in central London.

But it’s a double-edged sword because the store are also doing away with paid breaks and cutting premium pay for working Sundays, long night shifts and bank holidays.

Hardest hit will be night-shift staff, who will get a higher rate but for far fewer hours.

One night worker who contacted our sister paper the Mirror said they would be £900 a year worse off. Sainsbury’s have said they will soften the blow by making up the difference for the first 18 months – but affected staff fear their take-home pay will fall sharply after that.

Sainsbury’s insist most of their store workers would be better off – but they have acknowledged that just under 10,000 won’t be.

A group consultation starts next week, with individual meetings Debt charity StepChange dealt with nearly 1700 new cases a day last year. 619,946 people asked for help, up 3.5 per cent on 2016 and 22 per cent up on four years ago. StepChange said debt problems were particularly acute for tenants and single parents. ■■ beginning in June and the new contract taking effect in September. Those who don’t sign it will have to leave.

The better-off are bound to sign up, but night staff face a dilemma.

One night worker said: “A lot of my colleagues are middle-aged and with families who rely on the extra money you get from working nights.”

Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh, who met with Sainsbury’s retail and operations director Simon Roberts yesterday, said: “We’re delighted for day staff who will be taking home more, but there are others for whom this could have a devastating impact.”

Sainsbury’s said: “We have thought very carefully about how we support colleagues adversely impacted by the proposals.”