A 62-year-old worker, with more than ten years of service at a supermarket in Siena, Italy, was dismissed after failing a "mystery customer" test carried out on October 27. During the evaluation, clients specifically contracted for this purpose placed products discreetly in a shopping cart, among beer boxes. The employee failed to detect the items during the checkout process and was subsequently confronted with the result, which led to disciplinary action and the immediate end of his employment.
The case became particularly relevant because the worker also serves as a union delegate. Since the incident, he has been away from work, which has had a significant impact on his family's financial situation. The employee states that he had previously undergone a similar evaluation without any problems and believes the items were deliberately placed in a position especially difficult to observe.
The case is being monitored by the Filcams CGIL union, which questions the transparency and criteria used by the company to conduct this type of evaluation. The union argues that there are no clear rules regarding the consequences of any failure and suspects that these tests may be used more frequently against workers with greater seniority, whose contracts represent higher costs. The organization intends to meet with management to clarify the circumstances of the dismissal and seeks a solution that would allow the worker to return to his position, threatening to take tougher forms of protest, including actions in commercial establishments and a possible regional strike.
The article also notes that, although "mystery customer" tests are not prohibited in Portugal, their use as grounds for a labor sanction would have to respect the limits imposed by legislation and workers' rights, especially when involving union representatives, who benefit from specific legal protection. The Italian company was contacted for clarification but chose not to comment publicly on the situation.
