Mike Aylward - Usdaw Divisional Officer says: “Usdaw welcomes this development, which potentially keeps the Raven Mill site open after the planned 2021 closure. 
 
“Usdaw has been briefed that the deal potentially safeguards up to 200 jobs at Raven Mill. We will be working to ensure a smooth transfer of the 403 Shop Direct staff to Clipper Logistics under TUPE, although it remains likely that at least 200 staff are to be made redundant following Shop Direct’s departure in 2021. 
 
“At that point Usdaw will enter into consultation talks with the business and we will be seeking to ensure that any redundancies are done on a voluntary basis. In the meantime we will continue to provide our members with the advice, support and representation they require.”
 
Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 420,000 members. Membership has increased by more than one-third over the last couple of decades. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion