Source: Northern Advocate by André Hueber | 2nd December 2009

FRONT LINE: Whangarei Warehouse employees Sina Newton (left) and Robyn Bates. Ms Bates said staff received complaints from customers daily.

Popular retailer The Warehouse has been accused of introducing "Wal-Mart-style" employment plans that will shift the company's focus from people to profits.

Wal-Mart is the world's largest retail employer and has been criticised by human rights organisations and unions for its employment conditions.

However, The Warehouse says it has no intention of replicating the controversial American retail chain.

National Distribution Union Warehouse campaign organiser Simon Oosterman said major restructuring had led to understaffing with existing staff "taking the flak from stressed customers".

Mr Oosterman said the company had offered staff a 2-3 year deal with "no real wage increase once inflation is taken into account".

"They want the right to rearrange workers' hours up to 10 hours per day and up to 50 hours per week without the workers having the right to challenge it."

General manager of operations at The Warehouse, Karl Parker, said The Warehouse had no intention of replicating Wal-Mart.

"Eighteen months ago, after feedback from customers, we launched Project Invigorate which involved readjusting the roster in stores for customer needs and the days they're shopping."

Nobody had been made redundant and nobody had been forced to work reduced or extra hours, Mr Parker said.

Union members were entitled to attend stopwork meetings "so long as the business can keep running".

"We won't be shutting stores during trading hours and are working to try and allow as many union members as possible to attend the meetings."

Union members would be holding stopwork meetings throughout the country this week with industrial action also expected.

Warehouse worker and union delegate Robyn Bates claimed there were not enough staff on the floor to take inquiries and at times one person was in charge of four departments.

"We get complaints on a daily basis but the company is denying it and saying staff are happy."

Staff wore shirts with the label "people first". "We've felt like ripping them out ... We don't come first, we come last."

Whangarei Warehouse employee Sina Newton said family commitments meant her hours were not flexible.

"I'm grateful they've given me a job, but they're sending me confusing messages and I'm worried that if I can't keep up I'll have to leave."