Woolworths strike: Bay of Plenty and Rotorua staff served suspension notices

Union leaders have spoken out after more than 40 Woolworths workers in the Bay of Plenty, including Tauranga and Rotorua were served suspension notices after taking two-hour strike action on Tuesday.

But Woolworths said it was standard practice to send suspension letters.

Hayley Derry, the First Union Bay of Plenty organiser, who represents staff at 10 stores from Katikati to Whakatane, said 40-odd workers were issued suspension notices and one staff member was told they were not able to take their normal break after the strike action ended.

Derry said she phoned the store and the matter was quickly resolved.

Rotorua First Union organiser Jim Meyer said two striking staff from the Fairy Springs Rd store were issued suspension notices, but none was served on staff at the Fenton St store.

The First Union organisers told the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post they were told at least a dozen striking staff in Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty were informed they were not allowed to take their lunch break after the industrial action ended.

Meyer said the staff involved claimed they felt trapped and stressed about the situation. “I told them to do what they felt was right for them and we would deal with this issue later.”

A Woolworths New Zealand spokesperson said under section 87 of the Employment Relations Act 2000 it was standard practice for the company to send suspension letters to the First Union members to confirm they would not be paid for the two hours they were on strike.

“Members were also texted to alert them to the email. We also notified the Union of this in advance.”

The spokesperson said there was no central direction to deny striking workers lunch breaks and the company would be looking into this claim.

The nationwide two-hour industrial action by First Union members took place on Tuesday after Woolworths ruled out paying the living wage of $27.80 an hour and amid staff concerns about understaffing levels, security and pay incentives to work night and weekend shifts.

First Union said thousands of staff from more than 40 Woolworths supermarkets from the Far North to Invercargill held protest rallies.

A Woolworths NZ spokesperson earlier said the company made a strong offer, which included pay increases of between 6.8% and 10.1% over two years further to the agreed 19% increase in 2022, improved sick leave benefits, increased caregiver and bereavement leave and improved staff discounts.

Rudd Hughes, First Union national secretary for retail and finance, said the union bargaining team wanted fair and productive negotiations with Woolworths.

“Thousands of workers taking unpaid two-hour strike action on three days’ notice was a firm indication of how much a living wage and safer staffing levels in stores meant to supermarket workers,” he said.

Hughes said the public’s response around the country was “supportive and understanding” but some of the Woolworths workers were served with suspension notices for taking part in Tuesday’s walkout and the union dismissed it as a “pointless intimidation tactic” and a “farce”.

He said it was in his view “bully-boy behaviour” during a legal strike action, “but it’s also weird and inappropriate given the strike was ending in two hours and the notices were invalid.”

Hughes said negotiations with the company reconvened on Wednesday and continued today.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She covers mainly police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.