net workers denounce exploitation of
dozens overtime, mystery shopping, purely down cashiers - which came off at Lidl, children's birthday was in comparison to what's going on net, "store manager complain of food discounter. The group rejects the accusations: Man moves in industry-standard framework.
Hamburg / Frankfurt am Main - The Saturday is the worst day. Not only because of the crowds of weekend shoppers who rush the net branch by Rainer Müller * then. must be set up on Saturday, the special promotional items for the following week. But most of the advertised item may only be placed on the shelves after closing time from 20 clock. As is the "action schema structures" that hangs from Mueller's office door and the SPIEGEL ONLINE in copy.
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net market in Oldenburg: cutthroat competition in the industry
But even if it is not Saturday: Müller refers to conditions of employment of his employer net now "intolerable". "I am 65 to 75 hours work per week, if it runs smoothly," he says. If it does not run smoothly, be it in the 80 hours. "In ten to twelve hours a day I'll never get out," he says. "We are working to the limit."
Heiner Frank * it was made in his own words not better. Frank says he was officially discontinued as a market leader. In fact, he may learn a staff of Plus stores, which are currently being converted into net branches. Beginning the year are merged, the two discounters, the third major players in addition to Aldi and Lidl. Per week now, 30 to 50 Plus stores' converted to the successful net-concept "as the Net's parent company Edeka announced proudly.
"I do often more than double"
For Frank, this means but one thing: a lot of work. Often he would go at five clock out of the house and get dinner at ten clock again, he says. Otherwise it will not go: He must stand by our new colleagues from finally opening up to the cash settlement. When he was stopped, was from a 45-hour week been mentioned, "says Frank. "I do often more than double."
A charge that the discount is not made for the first time: The "daily newspaper had recently reported on a net market leader who claimed to have done in year 1000 overtime. Here, the branch chiefs deserve the statements of those affected, according to sometimes not more than 2200 or 2400 € gross. Also in weblogs - anonymous - made serious allegations against net. "What has come off at Lidl, was children's birthday party compared to what's going on currently in net," wrote one participant.
In Netto selbst versteht man die Vorwürfe nicht: Man lege Wert auf die Einhaltung des Arbeitszeitgesetzes, Überstunden in einer solchen Größenordnung seien "ausdrücklich nicht erwünscht", sagt Sprecherin Christina Stylianou. Bei der Frage nach den Gehältern wird der Konzern allerdings zurückhaltend: Man sei zwar nicht tarifgebunden, die Zahlungen für Kassiererinnen entsprächen aber dem "branchenüblichen Niveau". Die Überstunden, die die Marktleiter Müller und Frank beklagen, "werden mit einer monatlichen, übertariflichen Extra-Zulage abgegolten".
Discounter sparen auf Kosten der Mitarbeiter
The problem is: The whole industry is known for its harsh treatment of its own employees - even if the criticism usually focuses on the competitor Lidl. In 2008 it was known by a "star" report that Lidl could spy on his employees in the branches of detectives - Lidl had to pay a fine of more than one million €. And in April revealed the SPIEGEL that Lidl led until a few months of hand-written medical records detailing the mental and physical health of employees.
fact, it is above all the personnel area, save where the massive discount - to the detriment of employees. Staff costs der Lebensmittel-Discounter beliefen sich laut einer Studie der Gewerkschaft Ver.di im Jahr 2007 auf 6,9 Prozent des Umsatzes - bei normalen Supermärkten waren es um die 13 Prozent.
Ver.di-Einzelhandelsexperte Ulrich Dalibor ist deshalb überzeugt, dass die Mitarbeiter bei den meisten Billigheimern an ihre Grenzen gehen müssen. "Das geht fast nicht anders", sagt er. Zumal der Wettbewerb unter den Günstiganbietern immer härter wird, der Markt ist längst übersättigt. "Wachstum ist nur noch über Verdrängung möglich", sagt Matthias Queck vom Marktforschungsunternehmen Planet Retail.
Die Edeka-Gruppe setzt bei its discount subsidiary, therefore, on aggressive expansion. With the acquisition of the Plus stores, it brings net according to the company already about 3,700 branches. is that over the next three years added a further 850 - whether the course improved the working conditions is questionable.
increase the pressure test purchases
theory, net branch manager Müller could indeed tackle escalating legal action against his working hours. "Basically, a factory working day of eight hours only in exceptional cases, and a ten-hour not to be exceeded," says Hamburg employment lawyer Martin Kroemer. Violations of this rule are "if they are made intentionally or persistently and can be punished."
But the extra work is not explicitly prescribed Müller. On the contrary: There is an exact working hours quota, which may consume his and his team in the week overall. It was calculated by reference to the weekly turnover - rich but not often front and back, says Mueller. "There is nobody here who does not do overtime."
Would the extra work of his team formally charged, would make his presentations, according to store manager Müller a written statement of reasons - not look good from. So he regulated the rather "internal". If his employees in a week too much work, he wrote to them in weeks with little buffer the hours. And most of the additional hours he just strip itself
The hours guidelines are always dependent on the workload, said net to spokeswoman Stylianou. The provisions on the hour guidelines would be determined on the basis of experience.
But that's not all: Müller disturbs the pressure exerted on the employees. The result would sometimes dressed colleagues from the revision in the branch and make so-called honesty tests. In this example, the cashier will an envelope with 25 € pressed in the hand, which was allegedly found - to see if they correctly reported the find. There are also test purchases, which will be sent as an unknown colleague from another branch, to simulate a theft.
method "to get rid of unwanted employees,"
"We value the best customer service, teamwork, reliability and honesty in our markets," said spokeswoman net Stylianou. "Honesty tests are carried out is reasonable suspicion in individual cases." Disguised their employees are not known.
It is just that an industry-standard approach - because it is not illegal to subject employees to this audit. performed regularly and cross-company, had the general process of test purchases will be coordinated with the works council, labor law Kroemer are to be considered, however.
Ver.di expert Dalibor practice will nevertheless highly problematic. This way of cashiers check is often more "monitoring mechanism" as a training measure, he says: A good way to "get rid of unwanted employees."
* The Names have been changed by the editors.
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