Morrisons employees have said that morale is “super-low” following a “government-enforced pay rise'” which brings its hourly-paid workers in line with the new national living wage of £10.42 per hour.
Last week, the UK government announced the single largest increase to the living wage since it was introduced, boosting the national living wage up by 9.7%, to £10.42 from April 2023.
A Morrisons employee, who has been working at the supermarket for 18 months, told Grocery Gazette: “Morale is super low at the moment for staff, as those who now happen to be on minimum wage after the uplift feel they have no reward for their loyalty to the business.”
In a company-wide announcement seen by Grocery Gazette, Morrisons says it will “fully comply” with the new regulations and will be paying the new national living wage to all hourly-paid staff, regardless of age. The pay rise will come into effect from 3 April.
The update also saw Morrisons speaking of its policy of a “fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work” before revealing that – despite coming in near the bottom of the supermarket pay league – staff pay will not be reviewed again until October 2023.
Morrisons’ employees were previously on £10.20 per hour – a rate which was ‘market-leading’ when it was announced back in June 2022. Since then – and as the cost of living and inflation have continued to rise – a number of other supermarkets have boosted their hourly rates to more than £11 per hour, with Aldi paying as much £11.40 per hour nationally, and £12.85 within the M25.
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One of Grocery Gazette’s sources also revealed CEO David Potts recently sent out an email to staff, commenting on the positive Q1 results and referring to Morrisons’ staff as “the cornerstone of this improving picture”.
“Across the whole business, you have continued to help our customers by providing colourful, vibrant, fresh food shopping trips and I wanted to thank you all for everything you’re doing.”
However, the source remained unimpressed. “With the Government-enforced pay rise falling on minimum wage for many staff members, it doesn’t seem that Morrisons care too much to reward any loyalties with the business.
“Morrisons has stated its salary review is in October, but that’s no guarantee that the review will be a significant one either.
“We have been positioned to work hard for the next six months and simply hope that our salary review is substantial. It falls in October just before the busiest period of the year, so colleagues may struggle throughout the year and it’s going to add a lot of unnecessary worry.”
The update, sent from group people and corporate services director Clare Grainger, said the: “significant investment will ensure all colleagues, irrespective of age, move to a minimum of £10.42, and it will maintain the existing differentials for all hourly roles that are already paid above £10.42”.
This means that 22p per hour will be added to the base rate of pay for every role, a total investment of £30 million.
The move to ensure all staff benefitted from the rise was part of Morrisons’ “commitment to fairness and consistency”, and will affect more than 25,000 colleagues under the age of 23, or those already paid above national living wage.
Morrisons has said that the move is supported by retail trade union Usdaw, which it says is “supportive of the additional investment we are making in pay, outside of, and in addition to, the pay negotiation process”.
However Usdaw has said it is “disappointed” with the new minimum wage, as it means that “low-paid workers will not receive a minimum wage increase that will provide a wage they can live on”. It is calling for an increase to at least £12 per hour immediately.
Grocery Gazette has asked Morrisons for comment.
33 Comments. Leave new
I also work for Morrison’s, have done for over 6 years and it’s an absolute kick in the teeth, had nothing throughout the whole cost of living, and to be over 25 and put on flat minimum is simple disgraceful. More so after the pandemic, nothing!
Six years with Morrisons this month, it’s not just the lack of a pay rise that gives us low morale… it’s been steadily declining in the 6 years I’ve been there, it’s got worse since CD&R took over and all the uncertainty surrounding that and the huge debt!
I have worked for Sainsbury’s for over 6 years and love it. I feel respected by Manager’s and colleagues alike. If you don’t like your job, stop moaning and leave, no one forces you to work there.
Just a bunch of Arseholes. Nothing more to say.
To Everyone
I share EVERYTHING YOU ARE SAYING ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THE WAY IT OPERATES
I WAS FORCED TO RESIGN OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED FOR PACKING MEAT FOR CUSTOMERS IN PAPER CARRIER BAG AND NOT CHARGING CUSTOMER FOR THE BAG DESPITE THE CUSTOMERS SHOPPING BEING A HIGH AMOUNT..
I THOUGHT I WAS PROVIDING GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE I THOUGHT BUT MORRISONS JUST DI NOT CARE ABOUT THERE CUSTOMERS AND COULDNT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THERE STAFF
I WAS WITHVTHE COMPANY FOR 5 YEARS HERE UN DEVON AND HAVE BEEN BULLIED BY MANAGEMENT FORCING ME TO BE OFF EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR 7 WEEKS WITH MENTAL STRESS OF WHICH THE COMPANY ADMITTED WAS THERE FAULT.
KEN MORRISON WOULD BE HORRIFIED TO SEE HIS BUSINESS HE WAS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT SSEE IT NOW IN ITS DEMISE
There’s no charge for an additional paper bag to pack meat.
Are they sold individually or in bunches?
Worked through the pandemic always trying to help the company but they don’t really care about staff they make excuses all the time no staff on the shop floor they have restructures saying it will put people on the shop too assist customers not happening
As a customer, I used to think Morrisons was a good store. Not now. The store is physically cold, staff unengaged. Prices high. I go to the store about once a month. Years ago it was twice a week.
All Morrisons Daily deputy manager and supervisor roles have now been removed. All staff apart from store manager are now classed as sales assistant on minimum wage. extra 25p per hour is only paid to 1 member of staff who is classed as ‘supervisor in charge’ and this only applies when store manager is not present…when store manager is present ALL other staff are classed as sales assistant….
Does the union do anything ? They have to take action not just union money
You are the ones incharge of your union but its the members who vote for the pay increase and your national wage team that try and get a better deal if the company haven’t got it were are they going to get lay people off
I have just quit the union? They are worse than useless and just waste all your subscription fighting battles with the Tory government, never done anything for the staff in all the years I’ve worked there.
Need higher union membership to have real power. Needs to be over 50%.
USDAW sold staff down the river for a headline.
They wanted to be the first union to get the £10ph and traded bonuses and benefits, and a reduction in wages for many, to achieve it
Doesn’t look like great business 2 yrs on…
Usdaw didn’t provide or decide any pay offer. The company did. It’s a business decision and all members had a vote.
As a manager at the time your clean wrong,
The pay offer was declined it then went to Acas where it went through, Morrisons a dreadful company to work for. Store managers are bullies, with unreal expectations for department managers, EVERYONE in the business is expected to work stock for the whole shift, with staff development and paper work just done at home unpaid, this is EXPECTED
As for the union. Don’t get me started, over. Period of 5 years all bonuses were degraded or removed, the union acted in a disgraceful manor, I left the company last year, best thing I ever did, and I wasted 17 years of my life for the company
Why the hell are you working there then??
Work for someone who values you £11.02 @tesco !!
But tesco doesn’t always value its staff.
Both companies are getting rid of managers and asking the customer assistants to do more than they should.
Ie looking after 12 tills instead of one.
The larger the union membership, the greater the bargaining power.
The decisions made on pay, sit firmly with the board at Hilmore. How about we make a comparison with the board’s pay increases, bonuses and remunerations, and take from that how just they are, and where in current times, their moral compass points?
I work for Morrisons. Have done for almost 3.5 years.
Moral is low not just due to low pay.
But long hours, lack of staff and poor working conditions.
I have a 16 hour a week contract. I NEVER work just 16 hours. Usually 24+.
Staff leave and don’t get replaced. Staff being put on rota on their own to do a job that requires two to complete in the time given.
Also not having equipment readily available to actually complete the work necessary.
To answer the person who said “why work there then?” Yes. Many are leaving and I will be searching for something better myself too.
Morrisons management need to walk the stores unannounced and see for themselves what is happening in store.
They do visit, but as it’s announced they will visit. Everything is perfect that day.
I worked for Morrison’s for 13 years I retired in august last year I was give a farewell presents from staff but got NOTHING from company not even a thank you that’s what they think of there staff
It’s called the Potts effect.
Potts and his cronies are running around like rabbits in headlights!
Way out of their depth!
Morrisons is run on incompetence by the board of directors who appear to be lining their own pockets at the expense if staff and customers alike.
Sir Ken would be spinning in his grave if he could see the damage that these clowns have done!
20 plus years with the company. Paid breakers removed. Profit share stopped but renamed and made harder to get, it was then scrapped and added to hourly wage…..now minimum wage.
Christmas yearly service award scarred and pay out set to once every 5 years. Absolute joke of a company now.
if you smell what the rock is cooking
Morrisons is an utter embarrassment now. This is yet another example of the blatant disregard with which they treat their staff. They pay the absolute minimum when all the other supermarkets have recognised the depth of the cost of living crisis. If you’re in a position to avoid shopping there, do so. I only wish we were allowed to strike.
I have worked for Morrisons on nights for 16 years . I have never known it so bad . No staff you are pushed to your limits every night . You are constantly asked if you want o/t to get the job finished or staff just don’t turn up . If you complain you are told to stop whinging and just get on with it . No one wants to work there as they have been told what it’s like . Thought it would get better after the takeover but it’s just got even worse . Can’t see there being a Morrisons soon just being run into the ground .
Agree with you all 16 years with the company too old for another job RziZ Morrisons
You should see how they treat the MDaily and McColls staff. Operated by Alliance property holdings (who on company’s house is a non trading company) this is so McColls staff can be treated differently to Morrisons staff with no recognition of a Trade Union.
So far they have demoted all of the deputy managers and supervisors, cut lots of hours in the stores and increased the jobs everyone does.
In fact they make the job impossible then berate you for their own incompetence.
Staff leave in their droves and can’t be replaced because the working conditions are horrendous and the pay is an insult!
No wonder they are not the 4th biggest supermarket anymore.
Exactly why I left, toxic work environment. Bullying culture from higher management. Work yourself into the ground for peanuts.
They have the recipe to create a store that could rival Waitrose and Booths but they’ve chosen to make it with dog meat.
The sooner they go under the better, once the staff escape they’ll realise just how much this company robs them.
I know someone that use to work their the new management is ars it was mrcole/Morrison theirs no one smiles in that shop anymore all look misareble staff leaving it’s no wonder they can’t get staff
I had worked in a Morrisons supermarket branch for years until I left. The store was often grubby despite hiring cleaners, looked run down and expectations out of the minimal amount of staff was ridiculous. Management were often unapproachable and would be quick to complain yet never offer any help from anywhere. They didn’t care what commitments you had outside of work, disregarding anything you agreed previously with them and changing the rota almost daily without asking first. The union (USDAW) is really not worth paying into they did nothing for us and infact was keen for staff to accept a pay deal a few years back but basically the other perks taken away. Not surprising that Morrisons is one of the lowest paying supermarkets especially since the takeover.
Work for 11 years night like other staff on here worked to limits. December Equal no breaks . Worked over hours not payed clocked back . Regular when asked to stay. Final straw working Xmas Eve 5pm to midnight. I got children Xmas day ruined. Left last November. In a factory now. Weekend offs now. Had 2 weekend off in 11 years at Morrison iam being serious. I work hard not aloud sat or Sunday night off. Place was fine when started went down the hill . Less staff so had to do more work. In Dec expected to do 800 ases most nights. With the delivery usually two hours late. Want it done by half four so I don’t upset the old dears doing home shopping wanted out of the way.