Woolworths introduces body cameras for staff against union advice

Woolworths stores are seeing an increase in body-worn cameras as staff are asked to wear them in the name of safety. However, the retail workers union is opposing the move, saying the devices turn minimum wage workers into “walking surveillance cameras” aimed at protecting supermarket profits.

It was announced this week that all Woolworths employees across New Zealand will start wearing body cameras, with the supermarket trialling the devices in Australia as early as 2021.

A Woolworths employee scans fresh produce through the checkout while wearing a camera (left). A worker wearing a camera around his neck is spotted assisting customers at the self-service checkout (right). — Body cameras were introduced at Woolworths in New Zealand this week to tackle shopper violence. Source: Woolworths and TikTok

A Woolworths employee scans fresh produce at the checkout while wearing a body camera (left). A worker is caught with a camera around his neck helping customers at the self-service checkout (right). — Body cameras were introduced at Woolworths in New Zealand this week to tackle shopper violence. Source: Woolworths and TikTok

Woolworths says the body cameras are being introduced in response to an increase in violence experienced by retail workers in recent years, but the Secretary of the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) disputes this motive, saying the devices cause more conflict rather than diffuse it.

“We haven’t heard of any employees wanting to wear them. They’re seen as a conflict-inducing device, not a conflict-avoiding or conflict-avoiding device,” said Josh Cullinan, noting that employees are required to notify buyers when they start recording, which only antagonizes them further.

Woolworths opposes use of body cameras in Australia

Woolworths told Yahoo it will be rolling out video cameras to Australian stores from December after previous trials. However, she declined to say how many stores or team members currently use them.

The body cameras were announced as part of a larger package of team safety initiatives, including in-store announcements and posters reminding shoppers to treat retail workers with respect.

“In recent times, team members have been subjected to beatings, spit on and other incidents, including threats using weapons ranging from baseball bats, iron bars and knives,” Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci said in December when announcing the initiatives.

However, the RAFFWU union believes that body-worn cameras shift the responsibility for combating the disturbing phenomenon of abuse onto workers, without the supermarkets implementing the effective changes sought by the union, such as updating the Collective Bargaining Agreement – a document setting out wages and working conditions.

“Body cameras have certainly had a negative impact on workers; they’re turning workers into walking CCTV systems in situations where other systems aren’t being used to protect them,” Cullinan said. “They’re not cops, they’re not security guards… nobody wants to wear them.”

The country’s second-largest supermarket, Coles, also began testing the use of body cameras by staff in 30 stores in South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland in September. Yahoo News contacted Coles to find out if the supermarket plans to increase its use of the program.

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