Lidl is pressing its workers so hard that they have to take sick leave, Swedish newspaper writes

Lidl is pressing its workers so that they have to take sick leave. This is what a Swedish regional newspaper writes, commenting on the situation in a Lidl store in Bromölla.

- Lidl is a company that is managed from the top down, Sydöstran writes, and says that it has a rougher corporate culture than what people in Sweden are used to.

- At Swedish workplaces we are not used to toilet visits by staff to be questioned, the Swedish newspaper says.

It is interesting that this issue comes up again, only a few months ago the German hard discounter was scandalised as it was said to demand that women workers wear special headbands during their monthly periods if they want to use the toilet during working hours.

In the Bromölla store, more than half of the workforce is on long-term sick leave, Sydöstran reports. - The personnel is put under pressure in order to press prices down. All consumers should know that the new discount chains build on low personnel costs and much part time work among low-paid women.

The newspaper says that Swedish retailing and Swedish consumers must make a choice, when there is a conflict between a more humane working environment and lower prices.

When Sydöstran tried to interview local management about the problems in the store, they were referred to the head office in Stockholm.

- It is of course so that a local store management should get the right to answer to questions, the newspaper says, criticising the company for not respecting the Swedish tradition of freedom of expression.

- In Sweden, laws and agreements give wage earners good possibilities to be informed. Nobody also needs to be afraid to lose his or her job because of honest criticism against the employer.