Co-op workers win legal argument in battle for equal pay

More than 1,600 predominantly female supermarket staff have been calling for pay parity with their predominantly male colleagues at the grocer’s warehouses, who are being paid up to £3 an hour more.

The Co-op has conceded a “comparability concession”, a step towards recognising that the roles in supermarkets and distribution centres were of equal value. However, it said it would continue to defend itself in the legal battle, adding that its workers were paid fairly.

Leigh Day solicitor Tom Hewitt, who is representing the workers, said the shopfloor staff had “cleared the first hurdle in their claims for equal pay”.

He added: “We hope that Co-op recognises they can no longer deny that the work store workers do is of equal value to that of their distribution centre colleagues.”

The law firm explained that a comparability concession marked the first step in a potential three-step process, which could see the impacted workers receiving back pay.

A spokesman for Co-op said: “Our colleagues play an important role in feeding the nation and it’s central to the Co-op’s values that we pay them fairly for the work that they do in supporting communities.”

“We believe that we pay our colleagues fairly for the roles that they do and so will continue to defend these claims.”

The Co-op pay dispute comes amid ongoing pay battles at rival supermarkets, including Asda. Almost 8,000 Asda distribution staff are currently voting on whether they will accept a revised pay offer from the supermarket, according to trade union GMB. 

GMB National Officer Nadine Houghton said: “Asda’s distribution workers have put pressure on bosses to get an improved pay offer. It is now up to them if they are willing to accept it.

“If they turn this pay offer down, we will have no choice but to move to a formal strike ballot.”