Retail Gazette’s Post

Staff at Woolworths stores across New Zealand have taken strike action over pay and staffing issues. Some actions of the strike include non-compliance with media and social media, strike stickers, and in specific stores, handing out receipt-styled flyers to customers. Some senior staff, such as duty managers and supervisors, have also participated in the strike. Many said that their teams have struggled week-to-week as the cost of living crisis continues. There have also been concerns about the amount of staff who live week to week. 🔗 Read more online! #woolworths #strike #workerstrike #noncompliance #supermarketstrike #supermarketworkers #FMCG #Grocery #Supermarkets #NZSupermarkets #SupermarketsNZ #NZGrocery #GroceryIndustry #GroceryRetail

Asda is using their 4-day week trial to solve the wrong problem, and it's a big mistake which won't end well! Sam Forsdick (link in comments) shares his concerns after news broke about Asda piloting a 4-day week earlier this week: “❌ The GMB union has criticised the treatment of its Asda members and a “toxic” work atmosphere. ❌ Greater flexibility for store managers won't fix these issues. ❌ Some colleagues threatened with ‘fire and rehire’ tactics. ❌ Wages have stagnated, and rival supermarkets have increased pay. ❌MPs have questioned Asda executives over price rises. ❌ Asda staff no longer trust the people leading the business. ———- There seem to be some deep-rooted cultural and leadership issues. 👉 There is a reported 13.9% increase in turnover among store managers in 2022. 👉 Only last week, the GMB Union called off a strike at their Gosport Superstore “as show of good faith.” Asda seems to be using the 4-day week to appease unhappy employees. But, it won't address the root cause of their problems. It is not inclusive of all employees, so it won't have the usual effect of galvanising everyone into action, which is needed. ✅ Done well, the 4-day week incentivises teams to redesign their work and improve working practices. ✅ Top Down and Bottom Up, everyone is aligned on the same goal, work less, same pay and output. Productivity is up, and everybody wins. ✅ Talent attraction and retention improves, but only in the right culture. It works best in open, high-trust, forward-thinking businesses with positive cultures. BUT.….. That does not seem to be the case here. Store Managers are voting with their feet. Staff are supporting strike action. It won't cover up fundamental cracks in culture and leadership, which need fixing first. Sam reminds us in his article: “After all, working four days a week in a toxic work environment is just as undesirable as working for five.” ——————————— I have no insights into the pilot or goings-on at Asda, so I hope my concerns are unfounded. If not, the owners must get back to basics, engage with their teams and address their shortcomings. Otherwise, I fear they are wasting their time, and the exodus will continue. I’ll leave the final words to the trade press: “Asda trials four-day week in a bid to tackle store manager revolt” Retail Gazette. It's not the most encouraging 4-day week headline that I’ve read. 👀

An Asda staff #survey has revealed some interesting insights into employee confidence in the supermarket's #strategy. The annual questionnaire, completed by 75,591 workers last month, highlighted that only 47% of respondents expressed confidence in the grocer's long-term plan. Additionally, 48% were unable to identify the benefits of Asda's 'Project Future', described as a significant IT transformation. Notably, just half of the staff expressed confidence in the supermarket's ability to act on survey feedback. #Asda #EmployeeEngagement #SurveyInsights #ITtransformation

This is a great article, which highlights the challenge of labour shortages in UK warehousing ! (January 2024) "~43 per cent of employers continue to face a moderate or severe problem recruiting warehouse personnel, according to an August survey of 201 employers by trade association Logistics UK" Financial Times - "Prologis, a leading warehouse developer, said it had built basketball, tennis and football courts near warehouses" to incentivize staff. Locus Robotics has seen increased staff retention and boosted morale within its customer's sites. Locus cobots work alongside warehouse staff, enabling pickers to be ultra-productive by taking on the "dirty" and unproductive jobs they don't want to be doing. So, before you go asking your warehouse developer to build you a new basketball court, swimming pool, or sauna (as cool as that is) ... have you considered adding robots? 😎 #locus #robots #supplychainsolutions #labourshortage #warehousing #intralogistics #orderfulfillment #ecommerce

REI has 10 unionized stores in its footprint, some of which are walking off the job during the Anniversary Sale to protest what workers say is bad faith bargaining. I hear a lot from brands and companies about how important their people are to their operations. How much of that is messaging, and how much is reflected in their policies and behaviors? And in the handful of instances with unionize stores, is that ethos reflected in conversations during bargaining? I wonder how many attorneys across the table from the REI bargaining committee have worked a retail register with a line out the door, or dealt with an angry customer screaming in their face about a transaction they had nothing to do with. Have they worked for $19 an hour without a guaranteed minimum schedule? These are the things I'm thinking about while continuing to cover the world of retail and e-commerce. https://lnkd.in/dRUF6Zh7 #retail #rei #sales #ecommerce #workers #workersafety #workingconditions #unions #retailunions #labororganizing #collectivebargaining #bargaining

Union walkouts these days are common for pay raises, but get this: Over the weekend hundreds of workers at three Macy’s stores in the Seattle suburbs went on strike to protest rampant shoplifting and risks to employee safety.United Food & Commercial Workers Local 3000 says Macy’s “is not doing enough to address shoplifting, violent shoppers, and other safety threats to workers and customers.” #burglary #Burglary/Theft #C&EExecutiveNewsFilter #C&EIndustryNewsFilter #commentaries #Commentaries/Opinions #ContentTypes #corporate #Corporate/IndustrialNews #crime #Crime/LegalAction #FactivaFilters #generalnews #industrialnews #labor #LaborDisputes #Labor/Personnel #legalaction #LiisaLuick #northamerica #opinions #Personnel #political #Political/GeneralNews #retail #Retail/Wholesale #Seattle #SYND #Theft #UnitedFood&CommercialWorkers #unitedstates #WashingtonState #WesternUS #wholesale #WorkersPay #WSJPROWSJcom

Employees on strike at Starbucks walk out during the busy 'Red Cup Day' event - https://lnkd.in/e4agW6Zp Thousands of Starbucks employees from over 200 locations across the United States walked out on one of the company's busiest days. Customers were given reusable cups in exchange for holiday drink orders on Red Cup Day, so the stores were naturally busier. The 16 November 2023 walkouts were part of the Workers United union's efforts to unionise Starbucks locations. This was most likely the largest strike in the last two years, dating back to the start of the unionisation campaign. Over 5,000 workers may have taken part in the "Red Cup Rebellion." On November 15, approximately 30 outlets also staged walkouts. Employees are dissatisfied because the coffee chain is not keeping its promises to them. Such promotional days, in which customers are given reusable cups or one coffee for free with the purchase of another, result in a significant increase in workload and stress on the staff. Even on such busy days, employees are not permitted to ignore mobile orders or make any changes to the processes in order to alleviate work pressure. The outlets are understaffed to handle the increased workload, and employees are frustrated that they are not compensated for all of the extra work they are required to do on offer days. The outlets that voted in favour of unionisation have not yet met with Starbucks management to bargain. Since the first Starbucks outlet in Buffalo unionised in 2021, over 363 stores have voted in favour of unionisation.

Employees on strike at Starbucks walk out during the busy 'Red Cup Day' event - https://lnkd.in/e4agW6Zp Thousands of Starbucks employees from over 200 locations across the United States walked out on one of the company's busiest days. Customers were given reusable cups in exchange for holiday drink orders on Red Cup Day, so the stores were naturally busier. The 16 November 2023 walkouts were part of the Workers United union's efforts to unionise Starbucks locations. This was most likely the largest strike in the last two years, dating back to the start of the unionisation campaign. Over 5,000 workers may have taken part in the "Red Cup Rebellion." On November 15, approximately 30 outlets also staged walkouts. Employees are dissatisfied because the coffee chain is not keeping its promises to them. Such promotional days, in which customers are given reusable cups or one coffee for free with the purchase of another, result in a significant increase in workload and stress on the staff. Even on such busy days, employees are not permitted to ignore mobile orders or make any changes to the processes in order to alleviate work pressure. The outlets are understaffed to handle the increased workload, and employees are frustrated that they are not compensated for all of the extra work they are required to do on offer days. The outlets that voted in favour of unionisation have not yet met with Starbucks management to bargain. Since the first Starbucks outlet in Buffalo unionised in 2021, over 363 stores have voted in favour of unionisation.

As grocers continue to face challenges in recruiting and retaining workers, the industry stands to benefit from placing a greater emphasis on helping people view jobs in supermarkets as attractive — both before and after they arrive — according to research the National Grocers Association presented during a webinar last week. #grocery #NGA #recruiting #retainingworkers #jobs #employees https://lnkd.in/eceKJN57

https://lnkd.in/ggZp4jVV The unionization of workers at a major chain like Starbucks and their decision to strike, especially on significant sales days like the "Red Cup Day," could have several implications for the future of automation in the coffee shop industry: Increased Automation as a Response to Labor Challenges: Strikes and union activities often bring labor issues to the forefront. This can incentivize companies to invest more in automation technologies to reduce their reliance on human labor, potentially accelerating the adoption of automated coffee kiosks, self-service ordering systems, and even robotic baristas. - Cost-Benefit Analysis: The cost of labor is a significant factor in the operational expenses of coffee shops. If labor costs increase due to higher wages or benefits won by unions, companies might find automation more cost-effective. This could lead to more research and development in this area, improving the technology further. - Customer Experience Concerns: Automation can impact the customer experience. Part of the appeal of coffee shops like Starbucks is the human interaction and service. If automation leads to a perceived decrease in service quality, it could affect customer loyalty. This will be a key factor in determining how far automation is implemented. - Economic and Ethical Considerations: There's an ongoing debate about the ethical implications of replacing human workers with machines. This conversation will likely intensify in the context of union strikes and labor rights. The industry must balance efficiency and cost savings with ethical considerations about employment. - Technological Innovations: Given the high-profile nature of Starbucks, any move they make towards more automation could spur innovations in the industry. This might lead to newer, more efficient, and perhaps even more personalized automation technologies in coffee shops. - Competitive Dynamics: If Starbucks or similar chains successfully integrate more automation, it could set a new standard in the industry, pushing smaller coffee shops or competitors to adopt similar technologies to stay competitive. In conclusion, union activities like strikes can have a profound impact on the trajectory of automation in the coffee shop industry, potentially accelerating its adoption while also raising important questions about labor relations, customer experience, and ethical considerations I believe this is just the beginning of global changes in the public catering industry. Labor costs will continue to rise, making it increasingly challenging to maintain the quality of service and operations. I am convinced that within the next five years, simple and monotonous tasks will be automated. This process has already started and will undoubtedly continue!