Case study examines working conditions of women in large retail chains

The KARAT gender equality coalition of organisations and individuals has conducted a case study on working conditions and the observance of workers’ rights among female employees in supermarkets and hypermarkets. The research explored and identified the areas and most frequents forms in which workers’ rights were infringed, as well as looking at labour law in practice. Violations concerning working time and health and safety regulations were reported.

The KARAT Coalition is a regional alliance of organisations and individuals. Its mission is to ‘ensure gender equality in the central and eastern European (CEE) countries/Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), monitor the implementation of international agreements and lobby for the needs and concerns of women in the region at all levels of decision-making fora’.

Research overview

In 2008, the Polish members of the KARAT Coalition conducted a study (547Kb PDF) on the ‘Situation of female employees in super- and hypermarkets’. It was conducted as part of a wider project on Work conditions and respecting employees’ rights in supermarkets in Poland from the gender equality perspective (244Kb PDF). The main aim of the research was to identify and document the areas and forms of violation of employee rights in large retail chains – that is, supermarkets and hypermarkets.

Two focus group interviews were conducted with female employees working in supermarkets and hypermarkets, along with five individual interviews with female trade union workers. All research participants were employed in supermarket or hypermarket chains – either international or Polish-owned outlets. The participants were aged between 20 and 55 years and most worked in cashier positions.

The focus on female employees was attributed, among other things, to the fact that women comprise about 80% to 90% of staff in Polish supermarket and hypermarket chains, according to data from the KARAT Coalition and the All Poland Trade Union: Workers’ Initiative, Ogólnopolski Związek Zawowody: Inicjatywa Pracownicza).

Working time

Examples of malpractices concerning working conditions mainly related to working time violations, such as:

• imposing long sequences of working days – although an employee is entitled to at least 35 consecutive hours of rest in a week, in practice schedules are frequently planned for seven, eight or nine days in a row. The most extreme case reported was 20 days of continual work;
• length of shifts and time off in between them – weekday shifts are eight hours’ long and weekend or holiday shifts may be extended to 12 hours. An 11-hour break should take place between the shifts. However, the research participants reported that they are often expected to either extend their shifts (more work hours) or shorten the rest time in between shifts;
• difficulties in taking breaks during the day – during a minimum of six hours of work, every employee is entitled to a 15-minute break. Interviewees reported that it is often hard to take this break or that they are sometimes denied it. They indicated that this is often due to understaffing in the stores.

The schedule of shifts was another critical issue reported by the two groups of female employees interviewed. Firstly, the schedule’s different functions were uncovered. It is not only used as a tool to plan and optimise the work system, but also as a form of punishment. Employees who had taken sick leave, holidays or tried to claim their rights were punished with unfavourable shifts and work days. Secondly, two types of work schedules are reported to exist – that is, the official one kept for labour inspections and the unofficial one that organises work in practice.

Health and safety issues

Although the interviewees indicated that working conditions with regard to health and safety issues have improved in recent years, some areas of violation are common. Lifting heavy loads and moving them is a major problem. Most cashiers also reported having to unload goods, shelve them, stack shopping baskets or clean the store.

Mobbing activities

The interviewees described a spectrum of activities they experience that can be identified as mobbing or bullying, although they did not use the term ‘mobbing’ as such. The work atmosphere at the supermarkets and hypermarkets was unanimously described as bad. The unfavourable atmosphere was reflected in the behaviour of superiors – such as humiliating staff in front of other employees or customers, or disrespecting their needs.

Commentary

Although the findings of the research cannot be generalised and their character is purely descriptive and exploratory, they signal trouble spots with regard to the working conditions of female employees in large retail centres. The findings also point to bottlenecks regarding labour law in practice. Breaches of working time seem to be the most common form of violation. However, in-depth research concerning the general modes of malpractice and possible recommendations would be a necessary follow up to the research presented here.

Ewelina Kuźmicz, Institute of Public Affairs (ISP)