Consequences of the “By” quarantine: suspended some accessories, asks for permission, thinks of layoffs

Edgaras Marcinkus, president of the “Shopping Center Employees’ League” union, approached Delfi. He said he had received complaints from Palink employees about “cutting” accessories, increased workloads, etc.

L. Muižienė confirmed most of the problems.

The benefits were not felt

First, Marcinkus said Palink employees actually received bonuses in April for working under quarantine conditions (up to $ 56 on paper for a full-time position).

“However, some employees have already had other bonuses reduced for the fight, so some employees claim to have received a lower total salary or the same as before March,” he said.

The Palink boss denied having reduced allowances for employees in the fight.

“In addition to the bonuses normally paid, all store employees received benefits for working in difficult conditions. We will pay them until the end of the quarantine in the country. The salary of the employees in March, as well as their supplements, were calculated in proportion to hours worked, ”he said.

Marcinkus also said that the Palink butchers and bakery workers had been “excluded” from the € 200 supplement they had received each month thus far.

“In early April, Palink already officially informed all of its employees that bonus pay is suspended due to the” reduced turnover “portion. The letter states that not only will the above-mentioned allowances for butchers and workers be exempted bakery, but also assignments for store performance indicators, replacement of senior colleagues, etc. t. ”said the union president.

L. Muižienė explained that the bonuses that are normally paid to employees and their amount are calculated for the results of commercial activities: turnover, customer flows, customer evaluations and other performance indicators.

“The decrease in customer flow in supermarkets and the drop in sales volumes have also had an impact in reducing sales results, and customer evaluations are not currently being conducted. Due to these objective reasons, the Enforcement of the motivational system that has been in place so far has become impossible, and we have temporarily suspended payment of part of the performance bonuses.

The new situation requires new solutions, therefore we strive to respond in a timely manner to changed conditions and adequately compensate employees for the work they do. It is important to emphasize that there is no decision not to pay part of the subsidies at all: at the end of each month, the specific situation is evaluated and a decision is made. On that basis, in April, bonuses were paid to the employees of those stores that achieved the established objectives. In addition, additional allowances were paid for work in difficult conditions. This bonus is paid regardless of store performance, as all colleagues face the same quarantine situation.

We are following the situation closely as it changes every day. We value the work of our employees during this stressful period and strive to ensure that they receive fair remuneration for their work. As soon as we see the possibilities, the motivation system will be reviewed again, ”he said.

Ask for a vacation

E. Marcinkus told Delfi that since April, employees have been unofficially required to take paid or unpaid vacations, begin quarantining at home with young children if possible, or obtain a certificate of incapacity for work.

“As a result, our members say the number of employees currently working in some stores has decreased by 30-40 percent, and the workload for the remaining employees has increased significantly. They don’t even have time for a standard lunch. , and in our survey, the vast majority of employees noted that the workload was higher during March or the same as during the biggest vacation of the year, “he said.

L. Muižienė said that after the introduction of quarantine in the country, the workload of employees had increased for a certain period of time, but in April the situation has changed.

“Sales in the retail market decreased in April, which also affected our retail network: customer flows decreased and turnover decreased.

The new situation requires new solutions, so we are forced to think of several scenarios, including the most unpopular: the reduction in the number of employees. However, this is an extreme measure. We expect normal trade volume to recover quickly, and in the short term, looking for opportunities to retain available employees, we offer to use the accumulated vacation reserve. There are no plans to reduce the number of employees at those stores that maintain or have a higher turnover, “he said.

Finally, Marcinkus said that not all Palink employees were satisfied with the way their safety was guaranteed during quarantine conditions, and complained about the insufficient number or quality of security measures.

For his part, L. Muižienė stated that the highest priority during this period is the safety of employees and customers.

Hygiene requirements have tightened in “Iki” stores since late February, and complex preventive measures are being implemented to prevent the spread of viruses.

Employees have personal protective equipment: cloth masks, face shields, disposable gloves, hand sanitizer. We constantly monitor the situation and supplement the measures as necessary so that employees do not lack them.

When we collect protective equipment for employees, we search for the best and most convenient options, and try several examples. We understand that working with these tools on a daily basis is unusual or tedious, but we all have to adapt to changing circumstances. In this situation, our biggest concern is safe employees and buyers, ”he said.

According to Sodra, Palink had 6,253 employees on May 6, with an average salary of € 988.94 on paper (approximately € 655 on hand).

Palink’s shareholders are Rewe-Beteiligungs-Holding International in Germany and Unilec in France.

The League of Supermarket Employees was established on July 29, 2019. Its objective is to represent and defend the professional, labor, economic and social rights and interests of its members and to combat all forms of discrimination in the labor market.