Morrisons is claiming to have become the first major supermarket group to guarantee pay of at least £10 an hour for store workers.
The company said the new remuneration deal starting in April will mean a 9% wage increase for the majority of its 96,000 store staff.
Three-quarters of the costs will be met by direct payroll investment and a quarter by changing the supermarket’s discretionary annual staff bonus scheme. After consulting with staff, Morrisons said the majority stated that they would prefer to have a guaranteed amount in their hourly rate and receive it more regularly. This means the retailer’s annual budget for the discretionary bonus scheme is being rolled into the hourly rate, which is paid every four weeks.
The move comes amid praise for supermarket workers for playing a key role in feeding the nation during the pandemic.
David Potts, Morrisons Chief Executive, said: “It’s great to be able to say that in the UK from April this year, if you work at Morrisons supermarkets, you will earn at least £10 an hour. It’s a symbolic and important milestone that represents another step in rewarding the incredibly important work that our colleagues do up and down the country.”
Joanne McGuinness, Usdaw national officer, added: “The new consolidated hourly rate is now the leading rate of the major supermarkets, which is paid every hour and removes the uncertainty of a bonus payment. It is a big step forward, shows that Morrisons is prepared to invest in the staff to help grow the business and I hope that the deal is supported by our members in the ballot.”
