Pingo Doce
Retailer offers prize of 350 euros, but is accused of discrimination in awarding the value. Criteria such as “alignment with Jerónimo Martins values” were used to exclude workers, accuses the union.
Pingo Doce awarded a prize of 350 euros to 23 thousand workers, as part of the measure “Extra Christmas”which corresponds to a total investment of 7.7 million euros.
Although the measure was highlighted by the company as recognition for its employees, the Trade, Office and Services Workers Union of Portugal (CESP) accuses the retail chain of discriminatory practices in the award, paid separately from the regular salary.
According to an official Pingo Doce source, the eligibility criteria for “Extra Natal” were consistent with other initiatives by the Jerónimo Martins group. “They represent 87% of the eligible population”, an official company source explained to the newspaper, without revealing, however, what criteria were used for eligibility.
CESP criticized the initiative, stating that criteria such as “alignment with Jerónimo Martins values” were used subjectively to exclude workers.
O union highlights cases of exclusion related to refusal to change last-minute schedules, flexibility to care for children or participation in union activities. In a statement, CESP regretted that many employees were left out for arbitrary reasons.
“Whether it’s because you don’t accept changing schedules at short notice, because you have flexible hours to take care of your children, because you participate in plenary sessions, because you’re a union member, or just ‘just because’ — everything served as a reason to leave thousands of workers out!” , laments CESP.
“This Extra Natal measure, worth 350 euros, was attributed to around 23,000 employees and the eligibility criteria are similar to other recognition initiatives, benefiting the same universe of employees“, says the official Pingo Doce source.
