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Arena Magazine 2006 Issue 1 January February |
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Jobs hope as Anglia buys 9 department stores
Around 300 jobs are set to be saved after Anglia Regional Co-operative Society bought nine of the 36 department stores put up for sale by the Co-op Group in December last year.
The sale is subject to confirmation but Usdaw is confident the deal will go through finally ending months of uncertainty for union members in the stores.
"This deal is good news for some of our members who have been very worried about their future prospects," said national officer Sharon Ainsworth. "Around 300 staff will transfer to the Anglia Society, who are very experienced department store operators, so we're confident they will develop the potential of these stores securing the long term futures of our members.
"The workforce has worked really hard to keep these stores afloat in very difficult circumstances so this is a just reward for their efforts.
"It also means that when they join Anglia they will be joining a company with a final salary pension scheme which means they can look forward to a well funded retirement."
The store transfers are expected to be completed by June 2006. The following nine stores are being sold: Berwick, Bishop Auckland, Blyth, Eltham, Hoddesdon, Leighton Buzzard, Mansfield, Skegness and Welwyn Garden City.
Of the remaining 27 stores, ten are expected to be closed by February this year with the rest facing closure by February next year if a buyer is not found.
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