Countdown employees will get a 19 percent pay increase over the next two years as a part of its new Collective Employment Agreement.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for Countdown said employees across the country will achieve a 12 percent increase in 2023 and a seven percent increase in 2024.
Countdown and FIRST Union formally signed the agreement to increase the pay for their employees.
The agreement also included a number of new benefits, including:
- A pandemic leave clause – included for the first time ever, it is additional leave entitlements for all WHO-classified pandemics, including COVID-19.
- An unsociable hours allowance for those working between 10pm-1am.
- A security working group — this group will mean the team can directly contribute and share ideas for further improving safety measures, particularly around customer abuse and theft.
- An increase in bereavement leave including for stillborn, miscarriages and whangai equivalent for family members.
- The ability for teams that work across midnight to transfer a public holiday so they can have a whole shift off rather than half/part shifts.
Countdown's managing director Spencer Sonn said he is happy the agreement has been finalised.
"It will have a significant and positive impact on our team, both through increasing their wages as well as better supporting them with benefits that reflect the reality of working in grocery retail today."
Sonn added the agreement means Countdown can show it backs its employees and the essential work they do.
"We want to be an employer of choice, retain great people and ensure that our team can have long, fulfilling careers with Countdown. We believe that this agreement has landed in a place that means we can achieve that."
The Collective Employment Agreement will be effective immediately.
