Young Woolworths workers receive pay rate increase

Twenty young workers at Woolworths supermarket in Masterton now have better reason to whistle while they work after a pay rise for them was announced yesterday.
The National Distribution Union and New Zealand's largest supermarket employer, Progressive Enterprises, have reached agreement on a deal that will set the standard for almost half the country's supermarket workers, Progressive Enterprises Limited human resources manager Aston Moss said yesterday.
Progressive Enterprises Ltd, a division of Woolworths Limited, operates supermarkets under the Countdown, Foodtown and Woolworths banners.
Woolworths Masterton manager James Brodie said there are now 20 youth rate workers at the Masterton supermarket who will benefit from the new deal.
"It is great that we are investing in the youth of today and that as a company Woolworths is leading the way," he said. "It demonstrates how we value the younger members of our teams."
When ratified, the deal will lift base pay rates for Foodtown and Countdown employees up to the higher pay level of Woolworths employees, Mr Moss said.
Under the proposed agreement, young workers who have worked for three months or 200 hours, whichever comes first, will move to the full adult rate in the collective agreement next year about 65 per cent increase for a 15-year-old and a 46 per cent increase for a 16-year-old, he said.
National Distribution Union advocate Paul Watson said Progressive Enterprises are the biggest single employer in the retail business in New Zealand and the company "has a huge influence on employment standards so this agreement should help lift the bar across the industry".
"We have been working with our team and the NDU for some time on achieving this milestone settlement," Foodtown and Woolworths general manager Dave Chambers said.
"The terms of settlement represent significant investment by the company and NDU in terms of recognising important joint objectives such as simplified pay classifications, wage rate alignment across our different supermarket brands, and recognition of the contributions made by our team members."