RETAIL union Usdaw has taken a legal challenge to Tesco’s fire-and-rehire tactics to England’s High Court.

Fresh from winning a temporary interdict against the policy in a Scottish court, the union has begun proceedings south of the border.

The new action aims to protect the pay and conditions of 74 workers at three Tesco distribution centres in England, two in Daventry and one in Lichfield, where the imposition of new contracts would cost some staff a third of their wages.

Usdaw national officer Joanne McGuinness said that Tesco, which made a pre-tax profit of more than £550 million last year, was attempting to renege on a collective agreement over retained pay.

She said: “Tesco can stop this now by doing the right thing and withdrawing their threat to these long-standing staff, who have worked throughout the pandemic to keep stores stocked with the essential items we all rely on.”

Neil Todd of Thompsons Solicitors said: “Tesco has used the uncertainty of job security in the pandemic to manipulate its workers into taking worse terms because they are so scared of losing their jobs.”

A Tesco spokesperson said that the issue affected “a very small number of colleagues in our distribution network,” and that a “fair offer” had been made to those concerned.