Co-op workers win first stage of equal pay battle

Co-op shop floor workers have won the first argument in its battle to secure equal pay with distribution employees.

Comparability is the first stage in a three-step legal process for equal pay claims in which the workers argued they were being paid less than colleagues in distribution centres.

The retailer has now acknowledged ‘comparability concession’, a start in recognising each role is of equal value.

More than 1,600 workers, represented by law firm Leigh Day, are now “one step closer” to equal pay.

Co-op will now have to show that the roles are not of equal value or that there is a genuine reason for the pay difference which is not based on gender.

The difference in hourly pay for shop floor workers and those in a distribution centre can range between £1.50 to £3.00 an hour, which “could” mean a disparity in pay of many thousands of pounds a year.

Tom Hewitt, a solicitor in the employment team at Leigh Day, said: “Leigh Day is delighted to be able to tell Co-op staff that they have cleared the first hurdle in their claims for equal pay.
We hope that Co-op recognises that they can no longer deny that the work store workers do is of equal value to that of their distribution centre colleagues.”

A Co-op spokesperson added: “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.”