Working conditions in US discounters in the corona crisis have come under fire. Lidl employees raise serious allegations.
- Lidl employees in the USA draw attention to miserable working conditions .
- They are treated poorly, particularly in the Corona * crisis .
- The company itself rejects the allegations .
New York - The German discounter * chain Lidl is increasingly criticized in the USA . The reason for this is supposedly devastating working conditions, of which employees speak publicly. Right now during the Corona crisis, they feel abandoned by the company and what's even more serious: not adequately protected from the virus and its dangers.
Corona: Lidl in the USA - employees neglected? "Maybe someone has to die first"
Every day she goes to work and puts her life at risk. This was explained by Marian Meszaros, who works for Lidl's supermarket chain Best Market , the New York radio station WNYC. The company only informed the employees weeks after a colleague became ill with Covid-19 . "I have a feeling that I really don't care. They only use us so that they can make their money with us. "
Two branches were only closed and cleaned after several employees died of the corona virus there. Meszaros therefore has a bad assumption: "Maybe one of us will have to die too," she says, "until the branch is cleaned."
Coronavirus in the USA: discounter chain Lidl faces allegations
According to the employee, there is not only a lack of necessary hygienic cleaning of the branches. The company also does not ensure compliance with the distance rules. In addition, too many customers would be let into the markets at the same time, reports Meszaro.
The Lidl branch also does not take the paid sick leave ordered by the state of New York seriously. She had been granted five instead of the legally stipulated 14 days and also only unpaid. A colleague reported that after the death of a colleague, she was given 14 days vacation, but no money for this time.
Lidl in the US criticized for corona measures: Company rejects allegations
According to dw.com, Lidl strongly rejects these allegations. The company does everything it can to ensure the safety of its employees and customers. Lidl does not want to know anything about the alleged refusal of the two-week paid quarantine * period. They also took care of concerned calls from more than 2,000 employees. Given the 14-day incubation period of Covid19 and nine days since the last contact with the infected, Meszaro had received five days of vacation.
According to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) , nearly three million US citizens are active in the US food retail sector. More than 100,000 supermarket employees were infected with Corona, 68 of which have already died.
Lidl openly shows in the US what kind of brain child they are.
Germany must be ashamed of the inhumane behavior of German companies in America.
Lidl should be sued for humanitarian reasons. https://t.co/CUpOLtKXjh
* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
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Rubric list picture: © picture alliance / dpa / Gretel Johnston
