Employees at John Lewis and Waitrose have urged the John Lewis Partnership to reinstate staff bonuses, which have been paused for three consecutive years. The call comes amid rising discontent over increased workloads and perceived lack of recognition.
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An open letter, shared through the platform Organise, highlights concerns from workers who state they are "working harder than ever, with fewer staff and growing workloads, but getting less recognition." The letter emphasises that the annual bonus was "more than just money" and symbolised appreciation from the company.
The campaign has gathered nearly 4,000 signatures from current and former employees, as well as public supporters. One partner stated that it was 'disheartening to see the bonus [paused] when so many partners… have worked extremely hard and remained committed during challenging times.'
Despite reporting a tripling of pre-tax profits to £126m in the year ending 25 January 2025, driven by a 3% rise in sales to £12.8bn, the Partnership chose to invest £114m in base pay rather than reinstate the bonus.
New Chair Jason Tarry, who took over from Dame Sharon White in September 2024, acknowledged the dissatisfaction and commented he was "determined to pay a bonus as soon as we can."
The growing campaign underlines tensions within the employee-owned business as it continues to navigate its turnaround strategy and seeks to balance financial recovery with staff morale.
Source: www.retailgazette.co.uk