'Pretty crushed': Supermarket workers to lose bonus

Supermarket workers who have been given a financial boost by Foodstuffs and Countdown will next week have their bonus chopped, leaving many angry and feeling "pretty crushed".

Staff at the supermarkets were given the 10 percent pay boost from the end of March to recognise their efforts during a manic period for the grocery giants.

Tali Williams, of First Union, says that's about to come to an end next week, when the country moves into alert level 3. However, the risk to supermarket workers will continue.

But a Countdown spokesperson said they were retaining the 10 percent bonus for staff over 70 or those deemed "high risk" by the Government and would implement the living wage from September, for all staff who have worked there 12 months or more.

Foodstuffs says it "makes sense" for wages to return to normal and business owners can reward their teams independently for their hard work.

Williams said workers continued to risk their safety, "often for poverty wages, so that the rest of us can stay home and eliminate the spread of Covid-19 in New Zealand as we've been asked to do".

"Many supermarket workers are telling us that they're scared and stressed, overworked and struggling with rent, and the 10 percent bonus from employers was one of the only things keeping them afloat."

Williams labelled the move a "backwards step".

"Supermarket workers are understandably angry and feeling pretty crushed.

"After finally getting the recognition they deserve for holding their communities together during a crisis, it seems that Countdown and Foodstuffs don't think they're worth a living wage after all.

"There's no such problem for the supermarkets themselves, who have quite simply been raking it in."

Williams said workers had told the Union that demand for groceries had "literally doubled in recent weeks" as New Zealanders cooked at home, not to mention the initial panic buying rush.

"Nobody should be earning less than the living wage while they put their lives on the line during a pandemic that has already killed over 180,000 people globally where essential workers are especially vulnerable."

A Countdown spokesperson said the 10 percent has been paid, and would continue to be paid, to any team members whom the Government had deemed to be high risk to Covid-19, including any staff who were over 70, immune-deficient and those with serious chronic illness".

"We're also continuing our increased food discount of 10 percent for all team members.

"This bonus recognised not only the essential service our team have been providing New Zealanders, but also the weeks before the lockdown when our supermarkets and supply chain experienced incredibly high levels of demand."

As for the bonus for remaining staff, Countdown had hired an extra 2000 staff, and put in place "a range of really strong measures to create a more controlled environment for our team, and thankfully, we've also seen demand from customers calm down".

That had helped the business get back into a "more normal and less stressful rhythm".

Also, from September, Countdown team members with 12 months or more service would all start earning the living wage of $21.15 an hour.

Foodstuffs spokeswoman Antoinette Laird said the bonus to front-line wages workers was originally put in place to "recognise the extra demands placed on our staff during the busy four week period of alert level 4 and in recognition of the fact staff had additional pressures placed on them during this period of the lockdown".

"Foodstuffs has extended this bonus which will now be paid to employees until Monday 27 April which is the final day of alert level 4 as confirmed by Government on Monday 20 April.

"As the country moves out of alert level 4 it makes sense that wages return to normal and owners' usual business processes pick up again including undertaking employee pay reviews and rewarding their teams independently for their hard work."

'Show some heart'

As a show of solidarity for supermarket workers, Williams called on New Zealanders to tell Countdown and Foodstuffs to "show some heart" as the country went into level alert 3.

"Supermarkets will continue to operate as essential services, and workers will continue to serve their communities for low wages on long hours, at a greater risk of infection than the rest of us. Nothing much will change for them, but they'll earn 10 percent less."

The union wants Kiwis to "bring a heart, draw a heart, wear a heart" when they do their normal shopping over the coming weeks.

She suggested people draw a heart on a piece of paper and attach it to their trolley as they did their shopping.

Foodstuffs has also been approached for comment.