Woolworths update - information to Woolworths staff

Today we have been advised by the Woolworths administrators, Deloitte, of the timetable for the closure of all Woolworths stores and distribution centres if no buyer is found in the next few days.

We must now accept that the chance of a buyer coming forward at this late stage is unlikely.

The proposed timetable is as follows:

27 December 2008 - 207 Stores will stop trading
30 December 2008 - 200 Stores will stop trading
2 January 2009 - 200 Stores will stop trading
4 January 2009 - 200 Stores will stop trading

We don’t know which stores will close on which date, stock availability will be the deciding factor.

All store staff will be required to attend work for 2 to 3 days after the store has closed in order to clean-up.

The distribution centres are due to close on 27 December 2008.

Staff will receive notice of redundancy as soon as the date of closure for their store is announced. The Administrators expect to announce the store closures 10 days prior to the date they cease trading.

While there is a store closure programme as outlined above, staff are not at this time on notice of redundancy. Employees will not be on redundancy notice until the formal announcement of the closure of their store/distribution centre.

We are expecting the list of the first 207 closing stores to be sent to us today and will distribute it as soon as possible.

In anticipation of this news, a detailed letter was sent out to all Woolworths members and copied to all offices on Thursday, 11 December.

Attached below is a briefing outlining further detailed advice that may help with answering members’ enquiries.

Usdaw is critical of the Administrators and shocked that more hasn’t been done to find a buyer for the group. We are devastated that 29,000 workers are losing their livelihoods in the current financial situation especially at this time of the year.

Usdaw is contacting the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that all avenues are explored in order to help these highly experienced retail and distribution workers find new employment as soon as possible.

Further advice and any updates we receive will be passed on as soon as they are available.

John Gorle National Officer

Irene Radigan National Officer

For further information on the Administrators closure plan see the PDF attachment below. This document can be viewed in full in our Resource Library.

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw’s Media Officer, Cherry Hamilton, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469 or e-mail cherry.hamilton@usdaw.org.uk
• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK’s fourth biggest trade union, with over 371,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.
• Subscribe/unsubscribe to Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service at: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/site/email.html

Download File:
The Administrators Closure Plan [ pdf ]

Contact Details
Media and Communications Department
Ph:  0161 224 2804
Fax: 0161 257 2566
Email: communications@usdaw.org.uk

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