Trade Depot has apologised after a job advertisement for a warehouse and dispatch role in Hamilton listed proficiency in Hindi or Punjabi as an essential requirement.
The advertisement, published on SEEK, was widely shared online before being removed.
In response to questions from chrislynchmedia.com, Trade Depot Managing Director John Christie acknowledged the wording was incorrect.
“An advertisement was posted on SEEK for a warehouse and dispatch role at our Hamilton site stating that proficiency in Hindi or Punjabi was essential,” Christie said.
“The wording was wrong, and that error is ours.”
Weasel words, as in fact the wording was correct.
[….] “Trade Depot is against discrimination in any form. We hire on people’s skills and attitude. This listing didn’t reflect that,” Christie said.
Sure you are. Is that why everybody there is Indian?
[…] Christie said the intention was to recognise the value of additional language skills in a diverse workplace and customer environment.
“Across our sites, our teams deal every day with customers, transport operators and driver clients who speak a wide range of languages, and our own workforce is just as varied,” he said.
And if you buy all that then the Greens are going to win the election and everyone is going to live in mansions powered by solar energy and good vibes.
[…] “We removed the advertisement as soon as we became aware of it, and we are reviewing how our job advertisements are written and approved so this does not happen again,” Christie said.
Translation, ‘We removed the advertisement as soon as we got caught out.’
Here’re a couple of questions.
If, as an immigrant, you are required to know English, is knowing Hindi or Punjabi an advantage?
And why is the workforce at Trade Depot such that knowing Hindi or Punjabi is an advantage?
There’s no real evidence that the Trade Depot is engaging in discriminatory hiring practices, but, if it were, it’s almost as if the result would be exactly the same.
Obviously we Kiwis are just too lazy.
Note: I have bought from Trade Depot and have found no issues with the products they sell or their services. This is solely about their hiring practices.
