I'm a simple emigrant and I'll tell you about the scandal with Lidl

In 2008, Lidl – one of the largest chains of cheap supermarkets in Germany – monitored its employees without their knowledge or consent, which put it at the center of a loud nationwide scandal. It all began when anonymous complaints from Lidl employees started arriving at the Stern magazine's editorial office. They claimed that cameras were installed in warehouses and stores, watching literally every step of the staff. Der Stern published an article, in which it described these practices in detail and raised the alarm. Public reaction was swift. Workers complained of stress and pressure, tried to boycott the store, and customers faced a moral dilemma: shop cheaply and near home or make life harder, but not bring their money into Lidl's lair. Surprisingly, I know a person who still doesn’t shop at Lidl because of this story. People compared them to Scientologists or even the Stasi, which struck a strong chord with Germans. The investigation lasted several months: journalists checked documents, talked to workers, and experts analyzed the situation. It turned out that Lidl used secret video surveillance: they spied on employees even in bathrooms, and listened to personal phone conversations. In addition to all this, Lidl hired detectives. The employer literally knew when and whose period it was, who befriended whom, and a full profile of each worker's surroundings. According to them, this was to prevent theft, detect dishonest absences, and generally any “suspicious” moments. Of course, the employees' consent was never sought. That’s understandable; I doubt anyone would have agreed. Various federal and state agencies and even the Interior Ministry launched large-scale inspections. As a result, they found hundreds of pages of protocols on workers at 200 branches across the country and even in the Czech Republic. Lidl initially tried to justify themselves, saying it was needed for safety and operational optimization and that all their methods were legal. But that wasn’t the case. Such surveillance violates the German Constitution. Later, when the leadership had no choice, it admitted and publicly apologized for its methods. But apologies alone were not enough. Lidl paid fines totaling €1.5 million, fired several employees, including the German managing director Frank-Michael Mross, and, of course, dismantled all its spying gadgets. And for everyone mentioned in the protocols, Lidl paid €300 in compensation, apparently for about one and a half psychotherapy sessions. Most importantly—the case led to tightening of legislation on personal data protection and employee surveillance. So data protection laws are indeed a good thing, as often happens, the idea is excellent, but the execution is problematic. And what do you think? #work #history #Ordnung