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Morrisons axes 700 drivers

12th January 2006
Page 7
Page 7, 12th January 2006 — Morrisons axes 700 drivers
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NEARLY 700 drivers will find themselves out of work this month after being axed by supermarket group Morrisons.

They are among 2.500 Mornsons workers being made redundant as the chain closes depots in Bristol, Cheshire and Kent.

The GMB Union says this is a result of cost-cutting following the company's .f3bn takeover of Safeway in March 2004.

Jeff Goswell, the OMB's regional officer for London and the SouthEast, says almost 500 staff will go at the depot in Aylesford. Kent at the end of this week: "Morrisons has clearly no intention of trying to mitigate redundancies. It's a costcutting exercise, pure and simple."

He says that despite a national shortage, redundant drivers may struggle to find jobs in the Kent area as so many are coming onto the employment market at once.

Morrisons says the possibility of closures was announced in September and there is no other option; "We recognise that the current situation is difficult. We're aiming to minimise redundancies as far as possible."

• There are also concerns this week over 450 driving and warehouse jobs at two Exel sites run on behalf of the Somerfield supermarket chain after the logistics firm announced they would close by no later than April.

Exel says it will try to offer staff at the sites in Welwyn Garden City, liens and Rainham, Essex alternative jobs or redeploy them, but there are fears ofj oh losses.

The company says the closures will affect 160 drivers and warehouse staff at Rainham and up to 280 at Welwyn Garden City.

Tags

Organisations: GMB Union
People: Jeff Goswell

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