The John Lewis Partnership has signed a collective agreement with Usdaw, recognising the shopworkers’ union for statutory consultation across John Lewis, Waitrose and John Lewis Money.
The agreement takes effect on 30 October and covers collective consultation, health and safety, equality and training. Pay is not covered by the deal and will continue to be negotiated directly between the Partnership and its employees, who are known as Partners.
The Trade Unions (Right to Access Workplaces) Regulations 2026 also come into force on the same day. They give independent unions a statutory route to request physical or digital access to workers. If negotiations with an employer fail, the Central Arbitration Committee can decide whether access should be granted and, if so, on what terms. The committee must treat certain arrangements as reasonable, including weekly access and the use of existing facilities. The Partnership said its relationship with Usdaw was in line with these legal changes.
The two sides will now negotiate how the agreement will work in practice, including the facilities available to Usdaw representatives and arrangements for them to meet Partners.
Joanne Thomas, Usdaw’s General Secretary, said: “Usdaw already has members working within the business, and this agreement will strengthen that presence and help us in supporting and representing members across the Partnership. We now look forward to growing our membership and influence within the Partnership and to working with the Partnership’s management on finalising the details of how the agreement will work in practice.”
She added: “We urge other retailers to follow the lead of John Lewis Partnership by engaging with us.”
Union membership remains voluntary, and Partners can maintain individual relationships with a union of their choice. Rule 58 of the Partnership’s Constitution already states: “Every Partner is free to belong to a trade union, although if there is conflict between a trade union and the Partnership those concerned must consider carefully their responsibilities as Partners.”
The Partnership said the agreement would sit alongside its democratic structures, with Partnership Council and Forums remaining the main means of holding the leadership to account. The Council is elected every three years, with each Partner having one vote. It holds the Chairman to account and elects three Partners to the Partnership Board, which sets the rate of Partnership Bonus.
Chris Earnshaw, President of Partnership Council and Director of Democratic Engagement, said the business was “encouraged by our conversations with Usdaw that they respect and appreciate our unique Partnership model”.
Usdaw is the UK’s fifth-largest union, with around 370,000 members, most of whom work in retail.
Further union reforms are due to take effect on 1 January 2027. From that date, employers in Great Britain must give workers a written statement informing them of their right to join a trade union, including details of any recognised unions.