The Next decision

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Two threads, one in Chat, one in AIBU both arguing against the Next decision to pay retail staff like warehouse staff.

It's a predominantly female site arguing for pay disparity. I'm hoping it's just the usual MRA ploppers but I don't think so.

It is quite concerning. Many posts I’ve seen don’t seem to understand the jobs don’t need to be the same for equal pay, but the value of the job to the company is what matters.

And the circular 'warehouse work is physical' therefore should be paid better. But male jobs that aren't physical get paid more not less.

Depressing isn’t it? And such an obvious manifestation of internalised misogyny.

Warehousing ‘obviously’ needs higher wages. Why? Well it’s for big strong men innit? As opposed to ‘easy peasy’ female dominated shop work just sitting on a till. The emotional cost of perma-smile and socially dealing with the dickhead general public is valued far less than the physical bulky work.

I made the point on the other thread but I've done some 'scary' jobs in SW, prisons, shelters etc. My life was treated more doing customer service jobs. Warehouse jobs, my life was never threatened!

My DD works in a warehouse - different company. Its harder physically than the retail side but easier by far on her mental health. She hated dealing with the public.
There are plenty of women working there. I'm not sure where this idea that only men work in warehouses comes from. Or that only women work in retail for that matter. Plenty of male sales assistants around here

And yes, they should be paid the same for the same hours. Retail is dreary and people suck!

It's a predominantly female site arguing for pay disparity. I'm hoping it's just the usual MRA ploppers but I don't think so.

I am really sad to hear this.

This equal pay award, and the earlier ones such as Birmingham Council, just show how women being underpaid has help private companies and local councils "balance" their books at the expense of women's rights and respect.

But as with many other feminist issues, there are so many women who accept the status quo.

So true. And so depressing.

From what I understood, that argument had been rejected so Next fell back to 'market rates' for each type of job - and sensibly the idea that just because most companies underpay predominantly female roles vs predominantly male ones doesn't actually make it acceptable. Yes, they need to pay market rates for warehouse jobs, no that doesn't mean they can undervalue retail staff.

From what I understood, that argument had been rejected

Legally yes. But people keep on about it.

I posted on the chat thread a few times. I do wonder if some of the comments come from jealousy. Some people are getting a 'big' payout, not seeing that it is backpay.

Another issue is that a lot of people really don't understand retail jobs. The assumption is that it's just Beryl sitting on the checkout chatting with her mates. Because women don't have proper jobs they just work for pin money and a bit of company.

Next have said they are going to appeal. Not sure on what grounds, 'we don't like the result' isn't going to cut it.

Equal Pay legislation came in during my lifetime. It still isn't truly there yet. In pretty much every professional role I have held my male equivalents have been less qualified, less experienced, just more male. I could have shouted about it but you know what? Why the hell do I have to?

I celebrate the victory for the Next employees and I hope the supermarket employees enjoy similar success.

I do wonder what the practicalities of this decision are. What the pay disparity currently is and if this will just lead to warehouse staff being paid less rather than shop staff being bumped up? I can’t envisage a situation where some companies will start paying their shop staff significantly over the minimum wage. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.

I think most NUPE stewards from thirty years ago had a better idea about equal pay for work of equal value than some of those responding on other threads.
Depressing.

How many of the physical warehouse men will be replaced by drones? I suppose it will depend on which is cheaper.

The advent of the minimum wage has already had an impact on the disparity.

Employers will have to compete with other employers for warehouse staff. They need to look at their recruitment and stop seeing warehouse work as 'men's work' (local supermarket recruitment - recruits didnt know what job they would be offered. Women were never offered warehouse jobs).

If the employers had been equal in their recruitment then they could have paid warehouse operatives more. They werent so they were discriminating.

I saw a bit of bleating about how much the judgement is going to cost Next - to give some perspective this is going to cost Next around £30m, their most recent annual profit was around £916m. They can afford to pay their staff legally.