Rudd Hughes of First Union said staff were in industrial action over low pay and unsafe staffing levels.
“Woolworths may be living in dreamland but it’s a tall order to ask underpaid staff to join them there on their own dime – real Scrooge McDuck behaviour,” he said.
“Most people can’t afford to pay for their own living expenses comfortably on our current wages, so the request for us to design a Disney-accurate costume from our own back pockets was seen as quite ridiculous,” the union quoted a Christchurch duty supervisor as saying.
The 'Disney Worlds of Wonder' cards feature Pixar, Marvel, Disney and Star Wars characters. Photo / Supplied
Hughes said workers were told to dress as accurate Disney, Marvel and Star Wars characters with licensed Disney clothing.
He said instructions included no characters from rival comic book company DC and no “costume-mixing”.
In other words, staff could not go to work as “the Sheriff of Nottingham wearing a Darth Vader mask”, he said.
“If Woolworths want to talk about heroes in supermarkets, they should look at their own workers,” said Hughes.
“Essential workers got us through Covid-19 and contributed to one of the world’s best pandemic responses – they have never really been thanked for it despite working for one of the most profitable companies in New Zealand.”
Woolworths said the union’s remarks were inaccurate.
“We are not making any team members dress up,” a Woolworths New Zealand spokeswoman said.
“This is a voluntary thing that many of our team have done before for various occasions.
“Team who don’t want to take part will just wear the uniforms, that we supply at no cost, as usual. It’s disappointing the union has chosen to misrepresent this, especially as we have returned to talks today.”
