Think I'm going to stop shopping at Tesco - read this and am shocked

[breadandbutterfly]

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/8843393/Tescos-temp-agencies-to-waive-new-EU-rights-on-workers-pay.html

Tesco's been screwing over farmers & suppliers for years to increase their bottom line - this comes as no shock whatsoever.

You might want to read 'Tescopoly' for more insight into Tesco's working practices.

I'm sure much of what is described is just as true of other large retailers, but it was certainly an eye opener.

Tescos is the one employer round here who make it very difficult for pregnant women to have time off for antenatal appts and will often reduce a woman's hours once she tells them she's pregnant. Don't know how they get away with it.

A lot of employers already did dodgy stuff - keeping people on rolling temp contracts to avoid giving them benefits etc so this doesn't surprise me at all.

I boycotted Tesco ages ago. My DH accountant for farmers who were making a loss with every pint they sold to Tescos so sold up to make room for building. One of the most unethical organisations around.

Very disappointing. Badly done, Tesco.

If a huge organisation like Tesco is doing this, when presumably their very size means that they can afford better than anyone to give workers their full entitlement to pay and conditions, then other smaller businesses will be doing the same.

Also, temporary workers could lose out because the company will only employ them for 11 weeks, to avoid paying them the full whack. So no wonder they feel they have to sign the exemption.

Does anyone know what Waitrose, Co-op, Sainsbury's etc are doing about this?

tesco have been doing this for years

Friend is a social worker, he knows Tesco take on benefits claimants for months and months of 'training' in return for er...benefits. And no job at the end.

Friend is a social worker, he knows Tesco take on benefits claimants for months and months of 'training' in return for er...benefits. And no job at the end.

A benefit fraud that the Tories approve of how unexpected.

I shop anywhere but Tesco awful business

Until about 18 months ago I used to be a Tesco regular but now use Waitrose and the Co-op.

Ah... the Coop. The company that used to take in produce I supplied from South Africa and pack it up labelled 'produce of Namibia'... And don't be under any misapprehension that Waitrose is a warm and fuzzy retailer. They demand 50% margin from suppliers, a big kick-back on top and, if they fancy doing a promotion, the supplier pays for that as well... or lose the business.

Waitrose is owned by its staff so are hardly going to have the attitude towards staff pay and conditions that I highlighted in the OP.

Even if Eatrose and the Coop are not whiter than white, they're certainly a lot more ethical than Tesco.

Waitrose not Eatrose! Am I hungry?

But that's OK, because even if we're not shopping there, we're subsidizing Tesco's (and other big highly profitable corporations) by paying the wages of their staff through our taxes.

www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/nov/16/young-jobseekers-work-pay-unemployment - see middle of article.

On top of what we already contribute in tax credits for underpaid staff, obviously. :(

I am paying the wages of Tesco staff in tax!? even if I never shop there!

doesn't suprise me, any multi-million making company is obviously doing dodgy/illegal/ethically wrong stuff or ripping ppl off.
most real, law abiding ppl do not make this amount of money.

Am I missing something, why should a temporary staff member get the same wage as a permanent staff member. I've done all sorts of temp jobs and haven't expected the same salary as someone who held a long term position and had received rises over time. Maybe I misunderstood the article...

Yes, you are clearly missing something. By law, workers must be paid the minimum wage. This 'job', though to all intents and purposes a full-time job, is paid benefits only ie far less than the minimum wage. Plus people are forced to do this work or face losing their benefits. We - the taxpayer - pay these benefits. Thus the worker is being exploited because they are being made to do a full-time job, against their will, for £1 something per hour - with no training involved, or offer of a permanent position, to make it worthwhile in the longer term either. We - the taxpayer - are being ripped off as we are paying for Tesco to take on extra staff. In fact we're probably being doubly ripped off, as these schemes mean Tesco can avoid employing a proper permanent staff member, thus increasing the number of those on the dole who we have to pay for as well, and reducing the overall tax take.

The only winner is Tesco - they get extra free workers, paid for by the taxpayer - thousands of them, apparently. Very handy for Tesco - presumably rather hard on their competition, though as well as the exploited workers and exploited taxpayers.

Is that clear enough for you?