Aussie workers given $1,000 ‘thank you’ payment
Bunnings store workers will receive a thank you payment of up to $1,000 after working through the bushfire season and the following coronavirus pandemic.
“This year, our team has dealt with a number of challenges with the devastating effects of drought, bushfires and floods in Australia, and on both sides of the Tasman, we've dealt with the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our teams have worked incredibly hard to keep our stores open and safe for everyone,” Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider said.
Store members in Australian and NewZealand will receive a payment of up to $1,000, which will be prorated for part-time and casual workers based on hours worked during the Covid-19 peak.
Additionally, support team members will receive up to $500.
These payments are additional to an annual $1,000 bonus which includes a $250 gift card.
“Full-time permanent team members will receive a cash bonus and gift card and in addition to this, as a sincere thanks for their exceptional efforts this year, all team members will receive a ‘thank you’ bonus,” Schneider said.
“We will also acknowledge our team in the usual way following the release of our full year results in August.”
The SDA Union, which represents workers in retail said the payments came after extensive lobbying.
“Following our calls for an essential service payment and thousands of Bunnings SDA members signing our petition - Bunnings will pay a thank you payment to staff,” the union said.
“This is recognition of their hard work and efforts working through the pandemic under extremely difficult circumstances.”
Woolworths, Coles, JB-HiFi, Big W and Costco are among the other large companies that have given coronavirus bonus payments.
Bunnings employs 43,000 Australian staff and another 3,000 in New Zealand.
And it follows a huge few months for Bunnings. Sales rose a record 19.2 per cent in the five months to 31 May after a 5.8 per cent sales bump in the December half.
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