Marks & Spencer pay cut row continues with petition handover

Employees at Marks & Spencer continue to voice their concerns over the high street retailer's proposed pay cuts. Over 80,000 individuals have signed an online petition urging M&S to axe it prosed pay cuts, which were drawn up to help offset the increase costs of the National Living Wage. The petition is set to be delivered to M&S on Thursday by MP Siobhain McDounagh and will be handed over to a senior member of M&S at its Oxford Street flagship store at 1 pm.

The online petition, set up on Change.org, was first started by a Kate Simpson, a 43 year M&S veteran using a pseudonym, as she was concerned the proposed pay cuts would hit over 11,000 employees who stand to lose out on up to 6,000 pounds a year. The proposed cuts would see pay rates for "unsociable hours" such as Sunday, bank-holidays and after 9 pm lowered to the standard rate. The proposed cuts would also affect the pensions of the 11,000 employees as existing members would be shifted to a scheme that does not guarantee a set pension on retirement.

Marks & Spencer, which currently employs 69,000 store workers, announced in May the introduction of the National Living Wage had led to a review of its pay scheme, which would include plans to increase the base rate for qualified customer assistants to 8.50 pounds an hour outside of London and 9.65 for those in Greater London from next year April. The retailer also aims to introduce a standard rate for shift between 10pm and 6 am, with qualified assistant earning an extra 3 pounds an hour.

"I had a very charmed career, I got to do lots of interesting jobs and it offered privileges, but my love affair with M&S is finished now," said Simpson who first began her career at M&S at the age of 18. "When our manager made the announcement I felt like a bucket of cold water had been thrown in my face. Believe me, anybody who is standing on the till or working on the shop floor is feeling very despondent at the moment. They can't believe a company they have given their life's service to is taking a decision that will result in dramatic changes to lives and financial loss."