We’re called partners — but where’s our share?”
That’s the growing cry from employees across John Lewis and Waitrose, after the company announced a £97 million pre-tax profit – a 73% increase – yet refused, once again, to reinstate its long-standing staff bonus.
For the third year in a row, frontline workers — who kept shelves stocked, customers cared for, and stores afloat through the chaos of the past few years — are left empty-handed.
📈 Big Numbers at the Top, Zero on the Ground
Despite a 3% rise in sales to £12.8 billion, staff bonuses remain scrapped. Workers have responded with frustration, launching a petition via Organise that has already gathered nearly 4,000 signatures.
Staff report increased workloads, higher expectations, and a growing sense of being ignored and undervalued. The “partnership” ethos that John Lewis once championed — where every employee had a stake — now feels more like branding than reality.
“They call us co-owners, but we’re not even being recognised for the work we do,” said one employee. “If the profits are back, why aren’t we?”
Workers Say Enough Is Enough
Almost 4,000 staff have signed a petition, organised via Organise, calling for the reinstatement of their bonus. They say workloads have increased, morale has dropped, and the very foundation of the “partnership” is eroding.
“We’re being asked to do more, under more pressure — but treated like less.”
It’s a sentiment many in the UK workforce will recognise. The cost-of-living crisis didn’t pause for profits. So why should recognition?
The Bigger Picture: A Symbol of What’s Gone Wrong
This isn’t just about John Lewis. It’s about what’s happening to working people across the UK.
📉 Wages remain stagnant.
🏥 Public services are underfunded.
💼 Job security is thinning.
💰 Profits are rising — for the top.
The message is clear: workers are too often treated as expendable, even when they carry entire businesses on their backs. That’s why trade unions matter. That’s why you matter.
If you work in retail and feel undervalued or overlooked — don’t just accept it.
👉 Join UWA today for advice, advocacy, and a real seat at the table.