Pret A Manger staff prepare to strike after being told pandemic pay cut will continue

Company will not reinstate pay for breaks and has slashed performance-related pay in half

Pret’s sales have fallen sharply during the pandemic and have yet to recover after restrictions eased (Peter Cziborra/Reuters)

Pret a Manger workers are considering strike action after the sandwich and coffee shop chain told them temporary pay cuts brought in during the pandemic would not be reversed.

A group of staff, organising on social media, are being supported by the Bakers’ Food and Allied Workers’ Union.

Last September, in response to a sharp drop-off in sales, Pret stopped paying staff for breaks and removed a bonus for staff judged to have given good customer service. Employees are legally required to take a half-hour break on an eight-hour shift.

A £1-per-hour pay uplift for workers who are scored well by mystery shoppers was also cut last year. It has been reintroduced at 50p and will remain at that level. Back office staff also took a pay cut. The company has now told staff that there are no plans to reverse any of the changes.

Pret blamed the pay cuts on falling sales during the pandemic, which remain "significantly below" previous levels. In some areas its coffee shops are making just a third of the revenue they recorded 18 months ago.

Pret has been among the companies hit hardest by lockdowns, changing consumer habits and working from home which has meant fewer commuters and shoppers in town centres where many of its branches are.

The chain closed 74 locations in the UK last year and shareholders have secured £285m to support the struggling company.

A spokesperson said: “The business is still trading significantly below pre-pandemic levels, but we continue to review our benefits. This is in no way a reflection of the hard work of our teams, and we’re incredibly grateful for their dedication and commitment.

“It’s important to us that we always communicate openly and honestly with our team members, which we’ll continue to do over the coming months.”

Ian Hodson, national president of the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union, said: “We call on Pret to think again. We can no longer sit back and allow these companies to boost their profits from workers wages. It’s awful to read that workers are facing even worse conditions as we try and get the economy back on track.

“After the pandemic we are seeing a return to bad business as usual and working people cannot and should not accept that any more. We all deserve a better deal and we will support the workers at Pret if the strike goes ahead.”