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Employees' fury over jobs letdown
FORMER Woolworths staff have accused the firm that took over its Galashiels store of failing to fulfil a pledge to re-employ them, writes Kenny Paterson.
At least 10 former employees applied for one of 30 jobs created by TJ Morris at its new 500,000 Home Bargains shop in Channel Street, which opened on Saturday.
But none of them received a job interview, despite assurances from the Liverpool-based retail firm when they acquired 14 of Woolworths outlets earlier this year that it would endeavour to re-employ as many former staff as possible.
An ex-employee at the Galashiels store, who did not wish to be named, said: “In January, when we completed application forms, TJ Morris’ website initially said they would re-employ as many ex-Woolies staff as they could.
“I know of at least 10 people who handed in applications, but not one of us even received an interview.
“When we applied to head office we thought it would get passed on to the relevant department, but we have never heard anything. It has been a complete farce.
“There are still a few ex-Woolies staff not working. In the current climate with so many redundancies it has been very hard for people to get new jobs. To have not heard anything from the company fits in with how ex-Woolies workers have been treated in general.”
But Joe Morris, operations director of TJ Morris, said his company received 500 applications for the 30 jobs at its Galashiels store. He also confirmed none of the new workforce formerly worked at the Galashiels store.
Mr Morris said: “We took on the store in January which obviously leaves a long time until the shop fit and many former ex-Woolworths staff have now got other jobs.
“We received a large number of applications and it would have been impractical to interview everyone.
“Former Woolworths staff were in a good position to be re-employed, but it was no guarantee of a job.
“However, we have taken on a lot of ex-Woolworths staff at other stores.”
A total of 25 Woolworths staff at the Galashiels store – who are still fighting for eight weeks of notice pay they are due – were made redundant in November last year after their employer went into administration.
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Weather for Galashiels
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
