Waterstones staff to receive 6.2% pay rise

In the UK, staff at bookselling chain Waterstones will receive a 6.2% pay rise, reports the Bookseller.

Effective 1 April, the raise in bookseller wages is in line with the government’s national living wage increase due in April, which requires a 6.2% wage increase to the national living wage for those over 25, from £8.21 to £8.72 (A$16.17 to $17.18).

Waterstones booksellers who are earning above the national living wage will also receive the 6.2% raise, and the increase applies to all of the company’s four bands of employment (bookseller, senior bookseller, lead bookseller and expert bookseller).

Early last year, Waterstones staff campaigned for a ‘real living wage’ (which is different to the national living wage) of £10.55 (A$20.79) an hour for the Greater London area and £9 (A$17.73) an hour for the rest of the UK. Staff delivered a petition signed by more than 9000 people to Waterstones MD James Daunt, alongside a self-published book featuring anonymous testimonies from staff about their experiences of living on a low wage. In August 2019, the Guardian reported that the five booksellers who delivered the petition resigned from Waterstones, citing low pay and pressure as reasons for their departure.

Category: International news