Tesco equal pay - Pia's story

Pia started on full‑time hours but now works just eight hours a week over two days, after anxiety and stress caused by dealing with difficult and abusive customers forced her to reduce her hours.

She joined the equal pay claim after learning that predominantly male distribution workers are paid more than shop staff. 

She said: 

“When you hear they’re being paid more, it creates a feeling of unfairness and injustice, and of not feeling valued. Working on checkouts can be extremely stressful – you’re often dealing with abuse, but you still have to stay calm and friendly because you’re the last person the customer sees. Our role is very much psychological - you have to judge each customer’s mood and needs in seconds, constantly under pressure not to upset anyone and to go the extra mile.

"On average, we’re serving a customer with a big shop every five minutes, and we’re expected to keep a happy, welcoming attitude for up to three hours at a time. We don’t just scan shopping, we sell our personality and represent the business. Without shop workers, Tesco simply wouldn’t function. Store colleagues deserve for their work to be properly valued.”