Pret a Manger issues permanent staff pay cuts

Last year Pret a Manger told staff that they would face temporary pay cuts, however employees at the sandwich chain have now been told that these will be permanent.

The decision has been made as trade remains “significantly below” pre-Covid levels, reported the BBC.

Pret stopped paying workers during their breaks last September in a bid to reduce costs, which the firm has shared will not be kept in place.

The firm has since revealed that this move is not a “reflection of the hard work of its employees”.

Pret explained: “This is in no way a reflection of the hard work of our teams and we’re incredibly grateful for their dedication and commitment.”

In an email sent to staff by Pano Christou, Pret’s chief executive, he wrote: “The business is still in recovery but it’s important that we continue to invest in and support our teams however we can.”

Earlier this week, it was also revealed that a special bonus for good service, which was paused last year and reinstated in April, will continue but at a reduced rate.

However, Pret soon reversed that decision and shared that from September the bonus will return to its original level.

Christou addressed the pay changes in his email, where he said: “The most important thing for me throughout the last year has been to protect as many Pret jobs as we can.

“However, we also promised to review these changes when our sales improved. Unfortunately, it’s taking longer than we had hoped to get sales back to what they were before the pandemic, which is why we’ve had to make some difficult decisions about how we reward our hard-working teams.”

Strike action

Following the news, employees at the sandwich chain have started to consider strike action, however Pret has declined to comment on the plans of a walk out.

The firm instead added: “Like others in the hospitality industry, the pandemic had a big impact on our business, so last year we adjusted our business model. The business is still trading significantly below pre-pandemic levels, but we continue to review our benefits,” reported the Guardian.