Super Value in struggle to fill 100 vacancies

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Super Value's principal is questioning if "people want to work" as the supermarket chain struggles to fill up to 100 vacant posts amid an unemployment rate predicted by the Prime Minister to hit 30 percent.

Rupert Roberts, pictured, told Tribune Business that the company was one of the few recruiting during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown with 30 cashiers, stockmen, trainee managers, department heads, frozen food and fresh produce workers among the vacancies it is trying to fill.

"I would think that in this country today there must be 3,000 to 5,000 cashiers out of a job, and we can't even find 30 of them to carry on business," he said. "We like to carry 30 extra, two per store. I'm wondering if people don't want to work, if they want to be supported by the Government.

"I don't understand. I think if I was out of work I'd grab on to a job. There's a lot of positions we have vacant, easily 60 and maybe 100, and 30 of them are cashiers. We're managing five trainee managers, but we need five more trainee managers. This is a crisis time. People are not hiring, but we're short of people. The reason we're short is people are quitting at this time of crisis, and if they get unruly they get fired."

With the Department of Labour and its employment exchange closed, although it is due to start opening back up today, Mr Roberts said he has given "an ultimatum" to Super Value's human resources department "to go out there and find the staff".

Job openings are currently limited to non-existent. Dr Hubert Minnis, in his national address yesterday, predicted that The Bahamas' national unemployment rate will hit "an extraordinary and unprecedented 30 percent" with the National Insurance Board (NIB) having received 25,000 benefit claims. The Government's revenues for April are 50 percent down year-over-year.

Mr Roberts, meanwhile, said Super Value had been unsuccessfully hunting for new recruits for the past five years but had experienced no better luck amid the COVID-19 pandemic fall-out that, in theory, has made thousands of potential workers available.

"I thought that now with all the lay-offs and closures and shutdowns we'd be able to do it," he added. "I know people want to go back to their old job, but their old job might not come back for three months or longer. If they are cashiers they could come in and work.

"Before the crisis there were people around but they didn't qualify, were ineligible and so on. Others thought they should be given three chances if caught stealing. Theft is our biggest problem. After Hurricane Dorian our stock shortages doubled and we're watching it now. I think people are going to use this pandemic for the same thing. They think: 'It's our time to steal and we can get away with it'."

Mr Roberts said Super Value had already caught a "ring" of cashiers who were "breaking the rules" by "pushing and sweethearting", serving each other. He added: "They take advantage of the crisis to make deals. When the Ministry of Labour gets back to work they need to help us. I'm sure we're not the only ones. We maybe the only ones now."

The Super Value chief added that the cashier shortage meant the supermarket chain was unable to open as many registers as it would like, slowing down service and negatively impacting the customer experience. "It's a serious problem, and I hope by bringing it to the public's attention we get the staff we need," he said.

"We're inviting all former employees in good standing to please reply, and any others in similar industries that have been closed to them to come in. I would think this would be the time people will really be looking. I can't see them sitting back hoping someone's going to feed them and support them until their regular job comes back because their regular job may not ever materialise."

Mr Roberts said applicants will be screened on the phone to ensure the necessary COVID-19 protocols are maintained.

Comments

Clamshell says...

Wow. This is one sad, sad story.

Posted 11 May 2020, 3:44 p.m. Suggest removal

Bahamaland231 says...

Typically when you cant fill positions you offer more pay.

Posted 11 May 2020, 4:01 p.m. Suggest removal

DontAssume says...

Exactly, but he will never do that; however, all he wants to do is denigrate.

Posted 11 May 2020, 5:22 p.m. Suggest removal

joeblow says...

… but in this economy can beggars be choosers, after all when other options open up you can move on!

Posted 11 May 2020, 7:37 p.m. Suggest removal

Well_mudda_take_sic says...

No one wants to work for Rupert Roberts because he doesn't believe in fair pay for a fair day's work, not to mention zippo benefits and now the potential for becoming infected by the daeadly Red China Virus. If Roberts had a conscience he would treat his employees much better and recognize that at a time like this they should be earning additional hazard pay. This is one guy who still has a plantation mentality!

Posted 11 May 2020, 4:19 p.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

where were the jobs advertised?

Posted 11 May 2020, 6:03 p.m. Suggest removal

Clamshell says...

At the bottom of a Neil Hartnell story — that’s why nobody saw it. 😎

Posted 11 May 2020, 6:57 p.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

Yeah but I mean before yesterday.

Posted 12 May 2020, 8:54 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

This is interesting.

Reminds me of something pointed out in the Tribune weekend story on the Demaricon, stories around the black plague. The perspective of rich vs poor during a pandemic. Mr Roberts is shaming people who need money into putting themselves into the line of fire in order to eat. Poor people literally have to risk their lives to eat and something nust be wrong with them if they don't do it.

Food stores and fast food places are probably the most dangerous places to work in a pandemic.

I suppose it's an age old problem that won't be solved anytime soon....not until the robots take over anyway :-|

Posted 12 May 2020, 9:19 a.m. Suggest removal

Hoda says...

It is very interesting, also we should add some of workforce believe that business should be open; further, are employers/mr roberts considering adjusting their traditonal business models...has he added a pickup or delievery feature, even shield guards...dont know havent been in supervalue

Posted 12 May 2020, 11:48 a.m. Suggest removal

Well_mudda_take_sic says...

This plantation master will never pay a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. And truth be told, the cashiers at his food stores these days should be receiving additional hazard pay for their great exposure risk to Covid-19.

Posted 12 May 2020, 7:24 a.m. Suggest removal

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