Northland Woolworths staff strike for better pay and conditions

Okara Shopping Centre in Whangārei was one of many picketing spots across the country on Tuesday. Photo / Brodie Stone

Northland Woolworths staff say the slogan “making Kiwis’ lives a little better every day” means nothing if the company does not look after its staff.

Workers took industrial action yesterday in a last-ditch attempt to have their voices heard after suffering from inadequate staffing, poor pay and often dangerous conditions.

Staff put on a brave face on the picket line at the Okara Shopping Centre in Whangārei, encouraged by beeping cars, but the occasion was far from positive.

While Woolworths said the company has bought a strong offer to the table in discussions with employee unions, those striking told the Advocate Woolworths had made it clear they would not pay a living wage and said it was unfair when they were once considered essential workers.

Produce assistant Shannon Schwander said Woolworth’s solution to short staffing was to cross-train across departments resulting in storewide burnout.

“It’s like we’re going in this tunnel and we just keep going and going and there’s no light. And there needs to be a light for staff to feel like we’re being listened to.”

Assistant customer service manager Jarrod Wihuite said his main gripe was with the understaffing and lack of work-life balance.

“I feel for my staff that it’s getting to be a point we’re they’re starting to break, I’m starting to break which is hard because I manage the department.”

Even on my days off I’m getting messages from work and stuff like that.”

He said it was almost laughable that one of Woolworth’s slogans is “making Kiwis’ lives better every day” but they weren’t supporting workers.

“The pressure they put on my team and myself is unreasonable,” he said.

Front from left, Kyla Imms, Shannon Schwander, Ebony Murray and Jarrod Wihuite picket in Whangārei. Photo / Brodie Stone

Produce manager Christopher Crum said staff were feeling unheard and disrespected.

The chanting of “we say yes to human need, we say no to corporate greed” echoed in the background as he gave his comment.

“I’ve been with this company for 17 years and I’ve seen it degrade over time. They’re tightening their belts and [having] seen where we used to be staff-wise, it sucks now.”

Tikipunga storeman Paul Dunn called out a lack of security at Tikipunga Countdown where he works.

The suburb was reportedly becoming more dangerous and there were no security guards to manage increased assaults on staff, he said.

He also called for a living wage for the hard work staff were committed to.

Woolworths staff from across the Whangārei District stores held up signs and chanted for better pay, conditions and treatment. Photo / Brodie Stone

Kyla Imms and Ebony Murray said they felt underappreciated and things had become worse over time.

“We’re sick of doing a job that requires four people,” Murray said.

Imms said staffing pressures had created an unhealthy culture where taking leave is frowned upon because everyone is so “strung out”.

First Union organiser Garry Hetherington said the union had been bargaining with Woolworths since June.

Staff were suffering from mental and physical exhaustion and an increase in assaults on staff needed to be managed properly, he said.

Hetherington also questioned the logic behind getting rid of department managers in butchery and other areas and cross-training staff instead.

“People can remember when they could walk into a supermarket and ask someone to help them with a product.

“Now they have to walk around the stores to try and find someone who’s not busy to try and help them.”

A Woolworths New Zealand spokesperson said the company has bought a strong offer to the table in discussions with First Union.

“This includes a wage rate increase for our store team between 6.8-10.1% over two years, further to the 19% increase we agreed in 2022. We are one of the leaders in pay for our sector.”

A range of leave benefits had been added since 2022 including increased primary caregiver, bereavement as well as sick leave benefits.

They also said staff benefitted from a 5% discount off grocery items, 10% of fresh and own-brand products and “two 10% discount days per month”.

Safety measures such as cameras, trolley locks, duress alarms, fog cannons and double-entry gates were also being invested in.

The spokesperson said Woolworths was trying to balance affordable food with business costs so customers had good value.

But Hetherington said Woolworths had forgotten their staff were people too.

They had no choice but to join the picket line but it was costing them money they couldn’t afford, he said.

“My heart goes out to them.”

Brodie Stone is an education and general news reporter at the Advocate. Brodie has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.