With Christmas just weeks away, one photo highlights a worrying problem.
With just weeks to go until Christmas, supermarket shelves remain empty of goods, a worrying sign ahead of the holidays.
This photo taken at a supermarket in Potts Point, Sydney, highlights the severity of Woolworths stock shortages as a strike at four distribution centres continues for two weeks.
The photo was posted on Facebook with the caption “Woolworths feels like lockdown again”, referring to empty shelves due to panic buying and product shortages during the coronavirus pandemic.
Empty shelves at Woolworths. Image credit: Facebook.
Members of the United Workers union have been on strike indefinitely for two weeks, demanding an immediate 25% wage increase and a further 30% over the next two years.
The union also called for the abolition of a “framework” at the distribution centre, which it said forced employees to work overtime and created a “very dangerous” working environment.
As union members staged protests at distribution centres in Victoria and New South Wales, Woolworths chief executive Amanda Bardwell apologised to shoppers for shortages on shelves in the run-up to Christmas.
As the UWU strike enters its 14th day, Woolworths chief executive Amanda Bardwell apologises to customers whose shelves are left empty at local supermarkets. Image: 9News
“It’s definitely been a challenging time, for sure,” she told Nine News.
She said the supermarket’s main focus was on its customers, “who are very frustrated right now and rightly so”.
Ms Bardwell said the union’s demands were unreasonable and confirmed the supermarket would not change its proposals.
“We’re working really hard around the clock .. trying to get a breakthrough so that our teams can get back to work in these distribution centers,” she said.
“They want to be back to work, they want to be paid before Christmas so we can keep providing these products to our customers.”
The CEO said supermarkets were working “around the clock” to get delivery staff back to work. Image credit: NewsWire
It comes after Endeavour Group, which operates alcohol retailers Dan Murphy’s and BWS liquor stores and is a customer of a supply chain supplier operated by Woolworths, reported stock shortages.
An Endeavour Group spokesman said some stores in Victoria and southern NSW were experiencing stock shortages due to protected industrial action at its Victorian distribution centre.
Endeavour Group, which operates Dan Murphy’s, is working to restock its stores before Christmas. Photo: NewsWire/Dan Peled
A spokesman said: “We are actively replenishing these products and are committed to ensuring our customers have access to our wide range of products and excellent service during this busy period.
“Stock in our stores is being impacted to varying degrees, with some stores seeing minimal impact. While deliveries are continuing, some stores may receive new stock less frequently.”
In 2019, Woolworths merged all of its hospitality and liquor-related businesses into a company called Endeavour, in which it holds an 85 per cent stake.
The supermarket giant will then gradually dilute its stake in the company until it sells its last tranche of shares in 2022.
A strike at a Woolworths distribution centre in Victoria has impacted Dan Murphy’s business in the run-up to Christmas. Photo: NewsWire/Andrew Henshaw
Although Endeavour is no longer part of the Woolworths business, it still uses some of Woolworths’ distribution centres, which are currently being disrupted by industrial action.
“We understand this has caused some inconvenience to our customers,” Endeavour Group said in a statement.
“We thank them for their continued support and patience during this time.”
Woolworths workers, who belong to the United Workers Union, are striking in protest over pay and working conditions, including the company’s guidance and productivity framework.
The framework requires a 100 percent success rate in quickly picking items from shelves, noting that any rate below that will be considered a failure and will result in disciplinary action or counseling.
Woolworth workers strike at distribution centre to fight for better pay and working conditions. Photo: NewsWire/David Crosling
As part of the framework, employees are fully monitored and have limited breaks, meals, toilet breaks and delays.
UWU national secretary Tim Kennedy said: “The Woolworths ‘framework’ must be scrapped once and for all”.
“This type of management could increase the risk in an already very dangerous industry by forcing people to work faster for fear of losing their jobs.”
As unions negotiate pay rises, Mr Kennedy said “big companies like Woolworths have enjoyed ever-increasing profits” while workers have struggled with stagnant wages and rising prices, leaving them worse off than they were a decade ago.