Net-a-Porter warehouse workers set to strike over London Living Wage

Almost three-quarters of the nearly 100 GMB union members at luxury fashion retailer Net-a-Porter's South London warehouse have voted in favour of strike action in a dispute over the London Living Wage. No date has yet been announced for a strike, and a meeting is to be scheduled between GMB and Net-a-Porter to continue negotiations.

The dispute arose after Net-a-Porter, which wholly owns the Charlton warehouse, reportedly promised workers the London Living Wage in 2021. Since then, however, the retailer has offered workers lower pay, according to the trade union GMB. The ballot for strike action was launched on 2 March and concluded on Wednesday.

With almost three-quarters of members voting in favour of strike action, the turnout exceeds the legal threshold required to take action. The GMB union will now consult with warehouse members on next steps, including potential strike dates, which could lead to disruption at key operations within the warehouse.

For context, the London Living Wage is set at £14.80 per hour in 2026 and is distinct from the mandatory National Living Wage, which is set at £12.71 per hour.

According to GMB, Charlton warehouse workers were promised a pay rise to meet the Living Wage, but the current proposal from Net-a-Porter would see the lowest-paid workers receive £14.41 per hour. For a 37.5-hour work week, a London Living Wage equates to a salary of approximately £28,860 per year, while the lowest-paid staff on the proposed salary would earn £761 less annually.

Craig Prickett, GMB Regional Organiser told TheIndustry.fashion: "Workers at Net-a-Porter are being asked to do more while being paid less, while the company continues to profit from luxury sales, with items on their website being listed for six-figure sums.

"Our members have spoken and delivered a strong mandate for strike action. Many of our members were told they could not volunteer for redundancies as their roles were too important, and yet they have been offered a pay rise some way below the London Living Wage, as previously agreed to.

"Net-a-Porter now needs to come back to the table with a meaningful offer that reflects the value of its workforce.”

This is not the first time that strike action has been announced at the Charlton warehouse. In 2023, 91% of GMB union members voted for strike action in the run-up to Christmas, citing ongoing disputes about pay. After announcing 22 days of strikes starting on 7 November, it was called off at the eleventh hour when an agreement was reached to pay warehouse workers the minimum of the then London Living Wage of £13.15 per hour, representing a pay rise of 10% for some workers.

TheIndustry.fashion has reached out to Net-a-Porter parent company LuxExperience for comment.