Equal pay

Vleathers

Hi all
i have seen you can claim money back from supermarkets for equal pay does anyone know a direct link to claim back without paying a third party? 

oh_really

Vleathers said:

Hi all
i have seen you can claim money back from supermarkets for equal pay does anyone know a direct link to claim back without paying a third party? 

You may only have a potential claim from a supermarket who is liable following a protracted legal case, not all supermarkets are thus. You may also only have a claim if you are in a group identified as having a loss when a comparator was found.

Best place to start is the trade union involved with your employer, they will be best placed to advise.

Brie

If you aren't a member of the union ask HR.  It will possibly depend as well on how long you have been there.  If you joined last week, they have probably updated things to keep things equal.  If you've been there for 30 years you may very well have a case for compensation but there may be some time limiting variables.  

My understanding however is that if one employer has dealt with this then the others will very likely fall into line to avoid expensive legal battles.

Brie

Just saw the 3rd party bit - don't!  Why should some lame administrator get a cut for your hard work.  Ask the supermarket.

JCS1

Brie said:

If you aren't a member of the union ask HR.  It will possibly depend as well on how long you have been there.  If you joined last week, they have probably updated things to keep things equal.  If you've been there for 30 years you may very well have a case for compensation but there may be some time limiting variables.  

My understanding however is that if one employer has dealt with this then the others will very likely fall into line to avoid expensive legal battles.

This battle has been going on for many years, and there is expensive legal battles currently ongoing - latest involving the supreme courts.

This is from a few months ago from BBC.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56534988

As the compensation is estimated at £8 billion, the supermarkets are going to throw money at lawyers.

Marcon

Vleathers said:

Hi all
i have seen you can claim money back from supermarkets for equal pay does anyone know a direct link to claim back without paying a third party? 

What makes you think you qualify to claim? It's not the free for all some sections of the media would have you believe.

Vleathers

Brie said:

If you aren't a member of the union ask HR.  It will possibly depend as well on how long you have been there.  If you joined last week, they have probably updated things to keep things equal.  If you've been there for 30 years you may very well have a case for compensation but there may be some time limiting variables.  

My understanding however is that if one employer has dealt with this then the others will very likely fall into line to avoid expensive legal battles.

I was employed by tesco for 13 years but left four years ago 
my mum is still employed by them
i will ask her to ask the union 

DontBringBertie

Apparently working in a warehouse doing physical work is exactly the same as working in a shop working the tills sitting down all day. Who knew?

General_Grant

DontBringBertie said:

Apparently working in a warehouse doing physical work is exactly the same as working in a shop working the tills sitting down all day. Who knew?

Equal pay for work of equal value is the intention.

GeordieGeorge

DontBringBertie said:

Apparently working in a warehouse doing physical work is exactly the same as working in a shop working the tills sitting down all day. Who knew?

The decisions in what jobs are “equal” in the reviews that led to this were ludicrous. As you say, hard, back-breaking jobs in the cold, and wet, with unsociable hours were rated the same as a comfortable job on checkouts.

If they were equivalent it’s strange that the checkout assistants didn’t all transfer to them for the big pay increases that it would bring.

It was overtly political and sexist.

nyermen

This isn't as easy a case on either side (well obviously I tell myself, or there wouldn't be all the protracted legal cases).  The potential arguments such as warehouses are central, you have to have extra training, etc etc didn't work in previous cases.  Many will remember the "bin men vs dinner ladies" case in birmingham, didn't it almost bankrupt the council (I think they had to sell the NEC?).  If the differing hours & physical requirements of bin workers are considered "equal value" (I believe thats the key legal term?)  to school food workers I suspect this will be considered even more similarity between supermarket roles.

What made me uneasy initially was the play on gender (when there's no evidence afaik that male and female store workers are paid differently, or male & female warehouse workers.  BUT the initial push was all about "checkout ladies vs warehouse men". Yes I get that there is heavily weighted genders in each case.

What makes me uneasy now is where does it stop?  Why is a manager any more valuable than any other staff member?  Police vs ambulance?  Doctor vs Nurse?  Surely all equal value?
And potentially going back many years including interest etc.  

Not judging supermarket pay by the way, I don't think its an easy job at all - and should be paid properly.  But I wonder what happens when you can't offer any more to people to do the "less fun" work, in many cases the jobs may have to be merged, and suddenly everyone has a turn in the warehouse (or on the bin lorry?  Not sure what happened there) etc?