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| Image Pearl Van Steed |
Recent revelations from a Spur employee at the Carnival Mall branch in Brakpan shed light on troubling labor practices at the restaurant chain. The employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that they are under pressure from management to meet targets, especially when food items are close to expiration. When products are nearing their expiration date, employees are required to meet a target of 160,000 rand in sales per day, which is significantly higher than normal targets.
Failure to meet these targets has severe consequences. Employees are now only scheduled to work once a week, totaling to just four days a month, as punishment for not meeting the target sales by management's request.
Of significant concern is the fact that these employees do not receive a basic salary; instead, their income is solely based on commissions at a rate of 4% of their sales, with no mention of a basic wage. This places immense pressure on them to meet targets, sometimes leading to ethically questionable practices, such as persuading customers to purchase soon-to-expire items.
Additionally, employees are asked to work only four hours, and the remaining four hours are considered volunteering, so they do not get paid for the last four hours of the day. The employee suspects that this practice may be a tactic to protect the employer from scrutiny by the Department of Labour.
The employee expressed doubt that the franchise owner is aware of these issues, as they rarely visit the shop.
Despite the distressing conditions, the employee expressed a willingness to approach the Department of Labour for assistance. This case highlights the urgent need for stronger protections for workers and increased oversight of labor practices in the hospitality sector. Action must be taken to address these issues and ensure that employees are treated fairly and ethically.
