honesty tests ruled out.

international | miscellaneous | news report Saturday November 15, 2003 12:35 by iosaf

In what might prove to be a landmark decision a Barcelonan judge has ruled "honesty tests" illegal.

For several years now multi-national-corporations with end point retail outlets have sought to decrease shrinkage of both profits and stock by further controling their workers.

In simple terms the high street stores such as supermarkets and pharmacists, clothing shops and retail food outlets have tried to reduce loss of profits to theft.
It is thought that annually about 5% is lost to shoplifting, and another 8% to worker pilfering every year in the €.U. It is interesting that the allocated window for loss of stock to "shrinkage" as such theft is termed is between 1.5% and 2% of gross stock value (declared at anual audit).
Many companies employ a variety of electronic means to monitor stock, customers and workers. Workers have become accustomed to CCTV, the presence of security companies and in many cases are forced to sign waivers allowing "on the spot" searches.

Schleker is a german based multi-national-corporation which boasts 12.500 outlets and is amongst the 25 leading commerical companies in Europe by being the largest chain of high street drug stores. As such it is a powerful employer, and plays a pivotel role in many areas of our concern. It's employees are very often migrant, non enfranchised, minimum wage, and employed on short-term precarious contracts. Schleker is thus responsible for dispensing both "over the counter drugs" and prescription pharmaceuticals, as well a wide variety of cosmetic goods, and a good section of Europe's workers and their families.
http://es.schlecker.com/
http://fr.schlecker.com/
http://at.schlecker.com/
http://nl.schlecker.com/nl_neu/vstsuche.html

Schleker was amongst many such entities to impose an "honesty test" on it's employees. And under the findings of that test [ the leaving of an extra 10€ note in her cashier till to check whether she would declare it at the end of the day or keep it]
They dismissed an employee who was working in Vilanova i la Geltrú in Catalonia during 2002 for "failing" this "test" on July 25 2002.

She with support from her union and a variety of activist networks took a case against the corporation which has now been heard and the judge has ruled such honesty tests :

"práctica sistemática y aleatoria con todos los cajeros y que infringe los límites legales de la facultad empresarial de control de la actividad laboral"
="the practise of systematic and random infringements of the rights of the cashier which breach the limits of company's right to control labour activity".
published at:
http://barcelona.indymedia.org/newswire/display/59752/index.php
and http://www.cnt-barcelona.tk

Similar cases are being awaited in both the Nederlands and Austria.