Waterstones employees will be given a 6.2% pay rise from 1st of April following on from a successful year for the book retailer.
This pay rise, affecting 3,500 employees, is a slight increase from previous pay rises that the employer has implemented. In April 2019, employees were given a 4.85% pay rise, with an additional 4% bonus. In April 2018, employees were given a 4.40% pay rise, while in April 2017, they were given a 4.17% pay rise.
Kate Skipper, chief operating officer at Waterstones, said: “As we approach the end of our financial year, it seems a good opportunity to pause to reflect and to say thank you.
“In a year of economic and political turmoil, accompanied by a barrage of catastrophic retail headlines, it is worth taking a moment to celebrate that our like-for-like sales continue to grow and our bookshops continue to improve. To fight against the retail tide so successfully is only achieved with effort and bookselling talent.
“We are therefore very pleased to confirm that to accompany the national living wage (NLW) increase due in April, we will be paying a 6.2% increase to each of the bookselling bands: bookseller, senior bookseller, lead bookseller and expert bookseller, all of which will be effective from 1 April. Exceptions to this increase include employees whose pay is governed by historic contractual arrangements, both in the UK and in our shops outside the UK, and may not apply also to any employee paid above the NLW who is subject to disciplinary or performance sanction.
“Once again, we have chosen to reward all bookselling bands rather than simply to raise the minimum, so that our most experienced booksellers benefit as much as a new starter. Salaries for bookshop managers (BSMs) and support roles will be reviewed in the autumn, following the same performance review cycle as this year. To take another step forward towards our goal to deliver rewarding bookselling careers is pleasing, particularly in such a hostile economic environment and we do so with thanks to you all.”