Pak 'n Save workers relying on food banks says union

Friday, 5 August 2016

First Union staff have been picketing Pak 'n Save stores in Christchurch because they are paid $2 an hour less than their North Island counterparts.

Some Pak 'n Save and New World supermarket workers are turning to food banks to feed their families, First Union claims.

The complaint comes as parent company Foodstuffs posts record revenue up 5.6 per cent to $2.8 billion, and rebates to store owners up 6.6 per cent to $261 million.

Union members picketed Christchurch stores this week in efforts to encourage southern supermarket owners to negotiate similar collective employment agreements to those struck with northern stores.

First Union national organiser Bill Bradford said two workers who told him about approaching charities were embarrassed and didn't want to be identified.

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Supermarkets kept wages and conditions minimal, while making 'eye-watering profits', Bradford said.

By contrast, Foodstuffs North Island workers are paid up to $2 per hour higher, can get eight days sick leave, long service leave and redundancy agreements, he said.

First Union's Rachel Boyack in Nelson also said she had been told some workers had to go to food banks because they were only given a few hours work per week.

Foodstuffs spokeswoman Antoinette Laird said each independent supermarket operator is responsible for employment relationships.

'Stores pay a range of hourly rates dependent on the complexity, type of role and experience,' she said.

'Some staff members are on temporary contracts while others are permanent employees. Stores do on occasion offer low hours, for example, to students who want to earn extra money but are unable to take on full or part time roles.

The individually-owned supermarkets are supplied from warehouses managed by cooperative Foodstuffs South Island.

In the annual report Foodstuffs chairman Robin Brown praised the competitiveness of supermarkets delivering low cost goods to customers.

Differing income levels between the North and South Island are difficult to compare by occupation.

A 2014 survey of the construction industry shows Christchurch pay levels were slightly higher than in Auckland because of the post-earthquake rebuild.

Personal and household incomes levels are roughly equal between the main cities and lower in smaller South Island towns.

Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce employment specialist Keith Woodward said pay rates were largely determined by demand.