Stores swing jobs axe

A succession of cost-cutting announcements by major supermarket groups as a result of disappointing sales has left workers nervous about the future. Most recently, supermarket chain Morrisons reported that it intends to close 10 stores.

“Our priority is to maximise employment within Morrison’s, seek redeployment opportunities for members whose shop is closed and minimise compulsory redundancies,” said national officer for the Usdaw shopworkers’ union Joanne McGuinness.

This is just the latest in a barrage of bad news from the supermarket chains — Sainsbury’s is to slash 500 jobs along with store closures while Tesco is closing 43 stores, its defined benefit pension scheme and shelving plans to build new stores.

Responding to the news from Tesco, McGuinness said: “While the announcement was well received by the Stock Exchange, the same cannot be said for staff. They feel completely let down by both the content and nature of the turnaround proposals and the manner in which they found out.”

She said the company has still not declared which shops they intend to close, leaving staff in all 3,000 plus stores worrying whether closure will happen to theirs.

General union Unite, whose members work across Tesco’s distribution network as drivers and warehouse operatives, said that thousands of Tesco workers shouldn’t be made to pay because of boardroom failure.

Adrian Jones, Unite national officer, said members are now “extremely concerned about their futures”.

www.usdaw.org.uk/About-Us/News/2015/January/Morrisons-store-closure-proposal-is-devastating-ne

www.usdaw.org.uk/About-Us/News/2015/January/Usdaw-urges-Tesco-to-bring-the-staff-with-them-on

www.unitetheunion.org/news/tesco-workers-should-not-be-made-to-pay-for-boardroom-failure-warns-unite