Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest NewsIndustrial action / strikesInformation & consultationTrade unionsEmployment contracts

Clarks staff consider strike over ‘fire and rehire’ threat

by Personnel Today 2 Jul 2021
by Personnel Today 2 Jul 2021 Gary L Hider / Shutterstock.com
Gary L Hider / Shutterstock.com

More than 100 staff at a Clarks warehouse in Somerset are considering strike action over plans to ‘fire and rehire’ them on less favourable terms and conditions.

Changing employment contracts

How to change the terms of existing employment contracts

Is there any way to change the terms of an employee’s contract if there is no provision for the change in the contract?

According to the Community union, which is representing the workers, 109 of the 145 workers in the warehouse are on contracts that were signed before Hong Kong-based investment firm LionRock Capital took over the shoe retailer earlier this year.

Their contracts are more generous than the arrangements in place for newer hires, and the staff are being asked to accept a new deal that will see their pay cut by 15% and holiday allowance reduced by three days, or lose their jobs.

The new employment contracts also offer worse sickness terms, according to the union, and 10-minute breaks and complementary hot drinks will be removed.

Clarks was this week set to begin a 45-day consultation period ahead of the changes.

A Clarks spokesperson said: “Clarks is currently consulting with unions and employees at our Westway Distribution Centre in Street, Somerset on proposed changes to employment terms and conditions for all operatives.

“As we are in a period of consultation, we are unable to comment any further at this time.”

John Paul McHugh, assistant general secretary at Community, told the BBC that it was asking Clarks to “call off the diminishing of terms and conditions”.

He said: “The workers most adversely impacted by these changes are those who have been employees for decades, sticking with the company through thick and thin, stepping up in the last year during the challenging pandemic period.”

Scores of trade unions and MPs have urged the government to outlaw so-called “fire and rehire” practices, which  involve organisations threatening to dismiss workers unless they agree to new, usually less favourable, employment terms.

A poll conducted by the Unite union found 70% of the public want “fire and rehire” to be made illegal, while the TUC earlier this year found that one in 10 workers had been threatened with the practice during the pandemic.

Acas has produced guidance around negotiating changes to staff contracts in response to concerns about the practice.

HR roles in retail and wholesale on Personnel Today


Browse more HR roles in retail and wholesale

Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Home Office surprise at deluge of settled status applications
next post
Agency worker did not accrue holiday pay on furlough

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Bolt drivers strike as union launches workers’ rights...

15 Jun 2022

Care workers to strike over ‘cruel’ fire and...

10 Jun 2022

Tesco appeal against fire and rehire ban to...

8 Jun 2022

Four-day week trial begins today

6 Jun 2022

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

5 Jun 2022

Top 10 HR questions May 2022: Bank holidays

1 Jun 2022

Queen’s Speech: absence of employment bill leaves organisations...

10 May 2022

Queen’s Speech: Exclusivity contracts for low-paid workers to...

9 May 2022

Avoiding constructive dismissal claims (webinar)

5 May 2022

P&O Ferries told to return £11m furlough money...

28 Apr 2022
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more
  • Strathclyde Business School expands its Degree Apprenticeship offer in England PROMOTED | The University of Strathclyde is expanding its programmes...Read more
  • The Search for Talent: Six Major Employer Pitfalls PROMOTED | The Great Resignation continues unabated...Read more
  • Navigating the widening “Skills Confidence Gap” in 2022, and beyond PROMOTED | Cornerstone OnDemand conducted a global study...Read more
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+