Saturday, 29th July, 2006

Supermarket Workers Launch Customer Campaign

Supermarket workers will be taking their ShelfRespect.org campaign to customers at the Grey Lynn Foodtown today at 1pm, corner Williamson Ave & Coleridge Ave, says the National Distribution Union.

Supermarket workers and supporters will be wearing yellow t-shirts and handing out yellow plastic bags and stickers that read “I Support Supermarket Workers”.

National Secretary Laila Harré said that the bright yellow event was a customer awareness raising event, a confidence booster for supermarket workers inside and a practice run for further action.

“On Thursday 500 supermarket activists and delegates sent Progressive a clear message that they rejected the company’s insulting offer and today we are taking our campaign to customers,” she said. “Supermarket workers, particularly check out operators, build strong relationship with regular customers and that relationship has won campaigns in the past.”

Ms Harré said that Foodtown, Countdown and Woolworths supermarket workers voted unanimously to reject a 2.6% pay offer that maintained youth rates and would end the extra week’s service leave that long term staff currently receive. The workers also called for short strike action at busy shopping hours with customer petitions, she said.

Supermarket workers will make a final decision when and what form of industrial action will occur after stop-work meetings have been held around the rest of the country over the next week and after more customers have been consulted, she said.

Progressive supermarket workers can legally strike from Monday the 31st of July when their collective agreement expires.

ENDS

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