Staff at intermediary Bennetts GB in Newbury have reacted angrily to reports that its operations in the town could be scaled down with the possibility of “some redundancies”.
Employees were notified in a letter from chief executive Ian Darbyshire in October that 100 job losses were likely in the company's direct operations. He said the major restructuring was needed in order to maximise sales.
Earlier in August, 12 staff lost their jobs in the company's direct operations.
Bennetts GB group marketing manager David Spring insisted that “many of the affected staff have been found alternative employment within the company”.
But some staff say that only six Newbury workers have been found alternative jobs and four of these are on three-month contracts. Those not redeployed by the company face redundancy on December 15.
One employee said there was a “to let” sign on the offices in Kingfisher Court and said of the way the company had publicised the job losses: “They've made it look very sweet and innocent. We are all outraged.”
Spring insisted that operations in Newbury were being scaled down as the company's offices in the town were not big enough and recruiting staff in the area was difficult as it had virtually zero unemployment.
