Thousands of Woolworths team members working in supermarkets will benefit from a new collective agreement ratified today.
Under the new agreement, the team will receive a minimum pay rise of 3.3 percent in the first year, increasing the minimum hourly rate for supermarket team members to NZD 25.85 and 3.5 percent in the second year.
The agreement also included a new multi-skilled hourly rate where team members will be specially trained to work across three or more departments and rewarded with a rate of NZD 26.35.
The offer includes a unique, one-off payment for the 18,000 team members working in Woolworths supermarkets.
Team members contracted to 32 hours or more per week will receive NZD 175; those contracted to less than 32 hours per week will receive NZD 80 (excluding casuals). These one-off payments will be made in time for Christmas.
Woolworths New Zealand’s Managing Director, Spencer Sonn, said it was essential that FIRST Union members finalise and ratify this agreement.
“At Woolworths, we want to be an employer of choice and make sure our team can have long and fulfilling careers with us. That’s why we’re investing in our team’s learning with a multiskilling programme that gives lifelong skills, more flexibility and critical foundations for a highly rewarding retail career,” said Sonn.
“We’ve also improved our team benefits over the last couple of years with additional grocery discounts, industry-leading parental leave and wellbeing partnerships. This agreement is another critical part of ensuring we retain great people and will have a truly positive impact on our team’s day-to-day life.”
Sonn added that Woolworths was pleased to have landed this agreement in a place that fairly rewarded its team for the work they did every day and balanced the current economic climate.
“We would like to thank FIRST Union for representing team members’ views throughout this process and look forward to a constructive working relationship over the coming months and years.”
Woolworths’ supermarket team will also have access to the following benefits:
- 5 percent off on all grocery items, 10 percent off fresh and own-brand products and two 10 percent discount days per month, as well as special Everyday Rewards member offers
- Parental leave that includes an industry-leading 12 weeks of paid leave for the primary caregiver and secondary caregiver leave of four weeks
- Coaching and support from Grace Papers, who provide services to team members going on and returning from parental leave
- Sonder, a 24/7 employee mental health support service
The new Collective Agreement will be effective immediately with backpay to the 1st of July 2024.
