News
Sainsbury’s give staff second pay rise and free food to help with cost of living
The supermarket is also planning to increase in store shopping discounts before Christmas
Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s has revealed it will roll out a £25 million package this autumn to help ensure its lowest-paid workers can afford to eat and pay their bills this winter.
From the beginning of October, 127,000 workers will see their hourly pay rise by 25p to £10.25, whilst in London the rate of pay will increase from £11.05 to £11.30.
It is the second pay rise staff will have received from the company in a year, following on from a 5% increase this spring.
As well as increasing staff pay, the company has also announced it will see store workers given free food during their shifts, with £5m set aside to provide toast, soup and porridge in staff rooms.
Colleagues will also see theirin-store discounts raised from 10% at Sainsbury’s and partner store Argo’s, to 15% and 20% come Christmas time.
Between the move to better support staff, and a two-year plan to try and keep prices low for consumers, the company has made the decision for profits to take a hit.
Simon Roberts, Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s, said: “Every day I am hearing from colleagues who are really feeling the pressures of the rising cost of living,
“That’s why we are doing everything we can to help our colleagues as they face rising bills and living costs this autumn. This is the first time we have given two pay rises in the same year.”
“We had a debate over whether we should leave this until next year or bring forward some of this now, given the challenges of the autumn and winter ahead,
““We have 127,000 people that get up every day, often in the middle of the night, to get our stores and operations ready for customers. We need to support them as we go into this winter period. Therefore we made the choice to bring forward this pay increase to now.”
Sainsbury’s is not the only company choosing to sacrifice profit in order to ensure its staff can afford to eat and heat their homes this winter.
Employee-owned company John Lewis has revealed this morning that it is “forgoing profit” to help its partners and employees through the winter.
Dame Sharon White, the partnership’s chairman, said: “No one could have predicted the scale of the cost-of-living crisis that has materialised, with energy prices and inflation rising ahead of anyone’s expectations.
“As a business, we have faced unprecedented cost inflation across grocery and general merchandise.”
Read more: Emmerdale star Adam Thomas forced to close Gatley restaurant
She added: “We are responding to the cost of living crisis by supporting those who need it and by stepping up our efficiency programme.
“We are forgoing profit by making choices based on the sort of business we are, led by our Purpose – Working In Partnership For A Happier World – by helping our Partners, customers, communities and suppliers.”
Meanwhile, Parliament has been suspended until Wednesday 21 September, the day before a further suspension is due to allow party conferences to take place.
Read more: Butcher trolling King Charles’ ‘sausage fingers’ says he’s “definitely going to hell”
The official government petitions website has also been frozen “until further notice” preventing people from sigining existing campaigns or creating new petitions for consideration in the House of Commons.
Feature image – Sainsbury’s
News
Man who stabbed beloved gran to death sentenced to hospital order
Daisy Jackson
The man who stabbed Michelle Hodgkinson to death in broad daylight in Tameside has been sentenced to a hospital order.
Paul Hughes, 30, was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court today after his arrest on 3 June 2023 on suspicion of murder.
He was deemed too mentally unwell to stand trial – at the time of Michelle’s murder he was suffering from a schizophrenic attack at the time of the incident and still is suffering from Schizophrenia.
On 2 June 2023, Hughes brought a four-pack of kitchen knives, boarded a tram to Droylsden and headed to a canal path, where he appeared to be ‘lying in wait’ for someone to walk past him.
Tragically, that person was Michelle Hodgkinson, who walked past on her way to meet her mother.
She was followed, attacked from behind and stabbed multiple times.
The attack was captured on dashcam footage and several witnesses came forward to police with statements.
The court heart this week that despite being unwell, Hughes carefully planned the attack.
Hughes bought a pack of kitchen knives and waited down a canal path before he stabbed a stranger, a 51-year-old woman, on 2 June 2023.
Michelle died at the scene on Edge Lane despite the best efforts of passers-by who tried to give her first aid, and the emergency services.
Detective Chief Inspector Danny Lee of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “Michelle’s death has left a void in her family, and nothing will fix the pain they are feeling. I hope that they can gain some form of closure and justice from the sentence passed today.
“I’d like to thank the members of the public who rushed to Michelle’s side and the first responders, both paramedics and response police officers who also attended the scene to give CPR in an attempt to give her the best possible chance of life.
“It is a moment to recognise, however, the devastation knife crime causes in our communities. Across Greater Manchester, officers and staff are working hard to fight, prevent and reduce this type of crime.
In a previous tribute to Michelle Hodgkinson, her family have said: “Everyone who knows Michelle are still in utter shock at the attack she endured and how horrific her last moments were.
“Our Shelly B was the most amazing, loving, selfless and funny daughter, mother, mother-in-law, sister, auntie and most recently a nanna. It was a privilege to have been known and loved by her. She loved helping people in her community and was known for volunteering as an appropriate adult, her charity work and loved creating hampers to make people smile.
“She would be there for anyone and the day she was taken from us, she was doing just that – walking to meet her mum to take her shopping and to go for a coffee.
“Our family and friends are heartbroken. In one moment our world has crumbled and will never be the same. We will support each other, and we thank and appreciate the love and support shown by our family and friends. Please hold your loved ones close, tell them you love them and make memories.
“Words cannot describe how much she will be missed. Our biggest cheerleader, our confidant, our rock – she will never be forgotten. We love you to the moon and back!
“Love you forever and always!”
Read more
Featured image: GMP
News
10 ‘high-risk’ Manchester football fans arrested following recent violent disorder
Emily Sergeant
Several arrests have been made this week following an incident of violent disorder linked to a football match a few months back.
Officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Specialist Operations branch were joined by colleagues from across the force – including those in Challenger teams – as they conducted several arrests around Greater Manchester this past Wednesday (13 December) in relation to violent disorder that recently took place.
The violent disorder in question occurred the day before Manchester United and faced FC Twente in the Champions League back in September.
Prior to the match, police say it is believed that a targeted and organised large-scale fight took place in the Lower Broughton area of Salford, all before the group of supporters then headed towards Manchester city centre.
As a result, 10 supporters – who are men aged between 20 and 64, and police say are suspected to be “high-risk” – are now in custody for questioning as investigations continue.
On top of this, when officers entered two properties on their search mission, two separate cannabis farms were found, and this meant that a 36-year-old woman was also subsequently arrested on suspicion of cultivation.
With the Manchester Derby now only days away, GMP says these arrests are a reminder that violence of any sort, whether it’s linked to football or not, “will not be tolerated” in our region.
Speaking ahead of the massive Premier League clash this weekend, Chief Superintendent Colette Rose, from GMP’s Specialist Operations division, commented: “With another big fixture coming this weekend, we want to send a strong message and reassurance that our specialised officers will be deployed to ensure you remain safe and peace is maintained, so you can enjoy the game.
Read more:
“On occasions when enforcement is needed, those who are intent on causing harm will have to answer for their actions.”
Featured Image – GMP
Georgina Pellant -
15th September 2022 
