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.