August 18 2021
'We are here to support New Zealanders through this' - Finance Minister Grant Robertson
Champagne flutes, salt lamps and plastic grass - those are some of the "novelty" items that some retail employees have complained they're risking their health to help ship amid the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.
First Union has called out several of New Zealand's largest retailers for what they characterise as a "piss take" approach to the lockdown, calling in staff to help perform "ordinary duties" such as stock-taking and fulfilling online orders even if the items aren't essential.
"Our members are already putting their health and wellbeing at risk as essential workers, but it's totally unacceptable for some employers to push that limit to continue their ordinary business activities under the guise of necessity," said Ben Peterson, national organiser for the 27,000-member union.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today declined to comment at her daily Covid-19 update press conference on "individual scenarios" but said she would have the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment look into claims.
"We're very clear to employers, they should only be operating if they can operate safely within level 4 protocols and if they are part of that supply chain for essential goods and services," the Prime Minister said. "And that is very narrow."
"For employers, it's not sufficient to say, 'I'm operating to provide essential services so I'll bring in staff to restock shelves and do stock-taking'," Arden added. "It has to solely be for the purposes of the provision of essential services."
Peterson said First Union has received dozens of complaints from members over the past two days.
The worst offender today, he said, has been Kmart, which union members accused of shipping Champagne flutes and plastic grass. The company yesterday morning closed all stores, but by yesterday afternoon all staff were contacted and told to come in today to help with online orders, he said.
"They're feeling under huge pressure to come in, and when they do they're just fulfilling these novelty items," Peterson said, explaining it was somewhat of a surprise as Kmart is generally known as "one of our better" major retail employers.
Kmart, however, has refuted the union's claims it is selling non-essential items.
"Kmart New Zealand stores are operating online services for essential items only in line with announced Government restrictions," a spokesperson said.
"The health and wellbeing of our team members, customers and community remains our number one priority and we are committed to ensuring all safety precautions are taken to keep everyone safe. We'll continue to comply with all directions from the New Zealand Government."
While several retailers have dialled back their lockdown ambitions, Kmart continues to be a concern, First Union says. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Other retailers, such as Noel Leeming, initially planned to open all stores with all staff to fulfil online orders but has since decided to open 20 stores with 25 per cent of staff, according to Peterson.
"I still think they knew better, but it's positive," he added. "Issues were raised, they reflected on it and dialled back."
One of the main issues, the union said, is that retail settings aren't well developed for social distancing, and with the highly infectious Delta variant the source of New Zealand's current outbreak, depending on PPE isn't enough.
Although retailers providing essential goods aren't required to shut down entirely, they should limit their workspaces to distribution centres, which are usually more spacious and make social distancing easier, the union argues.
"The key thing is if it's not the most essential work it shouldn't be done," Peterson explained, adding that he doesn't blame consumers for putting in orders for non-essential items when they're listed for sale.
But the big companies ought to know better, he said.
"These are major national retailers that are dramatically pushing out the boundaries and that's a concern," he said. "Doing our part means acting in the best interests of all New Zealanders, and these retail employers are letting down the team of 5 million and risking super-spreading of the virus between staff at general retail stores."
The Prime Minister, during her press conference, gave a similar warning for businesses to take the lockdown seriously given the high stakes of the outbreak.
"I'd say to any employer, you do not want to be in a situation where we stand on this podium and read out your place of work during a level 4 lockdown because you've unnecessarily put people at risk in a workplace that should not have been open," she said.
