Information for members

1. Usdaw has won the Protective Award application for some but not all members employed by Woolworths.

2. 60 days has been awarded for staff who worked in establishments of 20 or more, ie the depots and stores with 20 or more staff.

3. Members in small stores of less than 20 employees will get nothing and we are planning to appeal this decision.

4. Because the company is insolvent the payments to those who have won will have to be met by the Redundancy Payments Office/Insolvency Unit (RPO).

5. The RPO has been sent a copy of the Judgment and it is normal practice for them to work with the Administrator and contact those employees who are entitled to a Protective Award directly.  It is not usual for members to have to do anything.  We are making enquiries of the RPO as to exactly how they intend to deal with the matter.  For the moment members should not do anything.

6. Members can expect to be paid:

• 60 days' gross pay capped at a maximum weekly pay of up to £400 according to the RPO;
• less anything that they have already received by way of unpaid wages from the RPO;
• less State benefits for Income Support and Jobseekers Allowance in the Protective Award period – which is 60 days after the dismissal date.

7. We cannot say when members can expect to be paid.  This is the largest insolvency that the RPO have had to deal with.  We will ask them for an estimated timetable.

8. Members from small stores will not receive anything (unless we succeed on appeal).

9. If any member from a depot or from a larger store who is entitled to a Protective Award receives a letter from the RPO saying that they will not be paid or saying that they will not be paid as much as they should get, then they need to contact the Union immediately.

10. Usdaw will be writing to our members asap.