North Shore supermarket owner hits back at union as workers prepare protest over living wage

Union claims an Auckland New World is at the bottom of the bunch when it comes to pay.

New World Albany owner Jamie Eden is rejecting claims the supermarket is avoiding negotiations as some union members stage a protest over wage rates.

Union members are gathering outside the North Shore supermarket today amid claims that bargaining broke down several weeks ago.

However, store owner Jamie Eden says he remains committed to the negotiations as part of determining new collective agreement terms for Foodstuffs franchised supermarkets.

"We have offered the Union an hourly rate of pay which is above the new minimum wage but we are unable to meet their demands to pay a living wage rate," he said in a statement to the Herald.

"We remain keen to work towards discussing an outcome that is appropriate for all parties concerned and we invite First Union back to the table to talk about opportunities to achieve this.

"Any suggestion that we are unwilling to negotiate is simply not true – my door remains open to further discussion."

First Union organiser Robin Wilson-Whiting said the supermarket had not budged from its first and only offer and was "at the bottom of the bunch" when it comes to pay.

"The current pay rates are absolutely trailing the other Foodstuffs collective agreements in Auckland and when we consider that it's a high-end supermarket in a wealthy suburb and workers aren't able to meet living costs ... it really doesn't look good," she said in a statement.

She claimed New World Albany was favouring non-union members and undermining bargaining in an attempt to "break union members".

"The tactics undertaken within the workplace while negotiations are occurring have been less than ideal so employees will be on the roadside expressing their frustration."

Eden said hourly rates of pay were just one aspect of the discussions.

"As an employer of nearly 200 staff I am committed to ensuring my team are paid fairly, have long-term job security, are treated well and given the best possible opportunities for career development."

Last year First Union and Foodstuffs North Island signed a collective agreement covering the company's distribution centres.

Permanent workers got a pay boost of between 9 per cent and 25.2 per cent.