A voice message sent to cashiers about using the bathroom during working hours has sparked a strong reaction from workers at a supermarket in Brandizzo, near Turin, who have turned to the union. The company has announced the suspension of the manager and apologized, but the unions say: “It's just the latest episode in a long series".
The director's voice message
With the message “Enough, I'm fed up, you've pissed me off! From today it is forbidden to go to the bathroom outside of the fifteen-minute break: instead, do it to yourselves”, the supermarket manager has banned the cashiers from using the bathroom during working hours. This emerged after the complaint to the unions by the workers, who presented the incriminating audio sent via WhatsApp in the store's group.
Workers' grievances
In the message, the manager's voice can be heard saying: "I'm tired of not knowing who's at the register. Hang in there until you have your break. Unless you're pissing yourself or shitting yourself or you're on your period, you can't go to the bathroom anymore. You waste hours just opening and closing the register. I'm tired of getting told off. Just do four hours, instead shit yourselves." The manager goes on to demand that the clerks arrive ten minutes before their shift.
Union involvement
Uiltucs Ivrea, the union that supports the workers, organized a picket in front of the supermarket and asked for a meeting with the management to discuss the organization of work and internal relations. “The audio message is just the latest episode in a long series. The problems with this manager are long-standing. Now the workers have asked for our intervention because the situation has become unsustainable,” explained Francesco Sciarra, territorial general secretary of Uiltucs Ivrea.
Company reactions and union dissatisfaction
After the controversy, the company announced a disciplinary measure of suspension for 5 days against the store manager. During a meeting called immediately after the incident, the manager admitted to having made a mistake and apologized to the staff, attributing the behavior to a moment of nervousness.
The unions' request
The unions, however, believe that the suspension of the director is not enough. “The issue cannot be resolved with just five days of suspension,” declared Uiltucs of Ivrea, adding:
“The staff organization is not up to normal standards. We only ask for the rights provided by the contract, but we receive retaliation such as transfers and extreme shifts. 90% of the staff are women and mothers with 24-hour weekly contracts, making their situation very difficult.”
Article published on 21 June 2024 - 09:33
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