Morrison may shed Stockton distribution jobs
RETAIL giant Morrison began consulting over more than 30 job cuts at its Stockton distribution centre this week.
Staff were told they could be out of a job on the same day that it emerged that the retail giant’s boss Marc Bolland had landed a new role at rival Marks & Spencer for a reported £15m in his first year.
The firm said Stockton proposals may mean a reduction of 28 roles in the drivers/shunting areas and three roles in transport management. The site employs around 700 staff in total.
Union leaders said they were not prepared to accept any compulsory cuts at the site.
Fazia Hussain, Union regional officer for Unite, said: “The site went through restructuring at the end of last year and we are angry, to say the least, at this latest announcement.
“We will oppose any compulsory redundancies as we don’t believe there is a case to make them.”
Unions were due to meet with the company today with a meeting of drivers due to be held on Sunday.
A spokesman for Morrisons - which became a truly national chain through its takeover of Safeway, which previously operated the depot - in 2004 said: “We have increased our distribution capacity and improved the network to optimise its performance, create efficiencies, reduce the amount of time it takes for food to travel from farm to store and further reduce carbon emissions. We remain fully committed to the Stockton Distribution Centre as an important part of our distribution network.”
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