Workers at luxury fashion retailer Net-a-Porter will vote on a possible strike after being told their wages will be below the London living wage, despite the company having previously committed to introducing the rate, according to unions.
More than 100 warehouse staff at the company’s logistics center in Charlton, south-east London, will take part in a formal vote organized by GMB. The vote will decide whether workers press ahead with industrial action in a dispute over wage levels and the cost of living in the capital.
The dispute comes at a sensitive time for the luxury online retailer, which recently completed redundancy consultations for parts of its operations.
According to GMB, in 2021 Net-a-Porter had committed to paying its employees the London Living Wage, a voluntary rate calculated annually to reflect the cost of living in the capital.
However, the union claims the company has now proposed a lower hourly rate for its lowest-paid warehouse workers. Under the current offer, staff would be paid £14.41 an hour, which the union believes does not meet the level workers need to maintain a decent standard of living in London.
The London Living Wage is set independently by the Living Wage Foundation and is widely adopted by employers seeking to demonstrate fair pay practices in high-wage regions such as London.
Union officials say the dispute has increased frustration among warehouse workers who are already facing heavier workloads and rising household costs.
GMB regional organizer Craig Prickett said staff were feeling the impact of rising living costs and organizational changes at the company.
“For a luxury fashion brand that serves wealthy customers around the world, it is simply unacceptable that the people doing the work are struggling to make ends meet in London,” he said.
“Workers are already struggling with rising costs and increasing workloads following the recent restructuring.
“Instead of recognizing their contribution, the company has offered a salary proposal that keeps wages well below the level required to live in London.”
Prickett added that union members would prefer to resolve the dispute through negotiations rather than industrial action, but warned that employees were becoming increasingly frustrated.
“GMB members don’t want to strike, but they deserve fairness, respect and a wage commensurate with the cost of living in the capital,” he said.
Net-a-Porter is part of the global luxury e-commerce sector, selling high-quality fashion items and designer accessories to customers around the world. Products sold on the platform are often premium priced, with items ranging from handbags costing £9,000 to couture dresses costing over £14,000 to jewelry worth more than £150,000.
The contrast between the company’s luxury positioning and the wage dispute has become a central argument in the union’s election campaign.
The Charlton warehouse plays a key role in the retailer’s logistics network, handling orders and deliveries for customers across the UK and international markets.
The dispute also stems from a recent layoff process within the company. According to the GMB, some employees who voluntarily agreed to be made redundant during the consultation were told they could not leave the company as their role was considered crucial to the company’s operations.
Union officials say this has led to an increased workload for remaining staff, who are now having to process higher volumes of orders during peak trading periods.
The combination of higher workloads and pay concerns has increased tensions between employees and management.
The result of the strike vote will determine whether the warehouse workers continue the industrial action.
If members vote in favor, the GMB could coordinate strike activity or other forms of protest to pressure the company to reconsider its pay proposal.
Industrial action in the logistics division of a major online retailer could potentially impact order fulfillment processes and delivery, particularly during peak retail hours.
For now, union officials hope that the dispute can be resolved through dialogue before strikes break out.
“We want the company to recognize the value of its workforce,” Prickett said. “These workers keep the business running and they earn wages that are in line with the cost of living in London.”
