Supermarket workers deserve a better deal

This 6 April 2020 video from the USA says about itself:

Grocery store workers on the front lines are concerned about exposure to COVID-19

Marc Perrone, UFCW International President, discusses protections needed for workers in grocery stores who are exposed to the public amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Translated from Dutch NOS radio today:

Record turnover for supermarkets, CNV [the Christian ‘moderate’ trade union federation in the Netherlands] union wants ‘corona bonus’

These are golden times for supermarkets. According to market researcher IRI, the turnover of chains such as Albert Heijn, Jumbo and Lidl has so far been around 11.4 billion euros this year. That is almost a billion euros more than in the same period last year.

The CNV union thinks that the supermarket shelf fillers and cashiers – who are under much pressure during this corona period – should get a little extra soon. Union executive member Jacqueline Twerda is thinking of 500 euros net per person, regardless of the current or new collective labor agreement. “Employees in the supermarkets are on the front line, something should come back,” she said this morning in the NOS Radio 1 News.

Bonuses abroad

“Some employees receive a bar of chocolate, a bunch of flowers, a thank-you note. Not that we oppose that, but in relation to the turnover that is currently being made, the enormous flexibility that is expected of employees and the risk they run with their health requires more than a well-meaning gesture.”

She also notes what happens abroad. French supermarkets Carrefour and Auchan pay a tax-free bonus of 1000 euros, in Great Britain Aldi and Tesco give bonuses of 10 percent. The German retail group Rewe and subsidiary Penny also pay extras for all staff.

None of the supermarkets or branch organizations wanted to respond to the ‘bonus request’ to the NOS.