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Union warns M&S over rumoured job cuts
HIGH Street giant Marks & Spencer has been warned it could face a series of employment tribunal cases if it announces a huge number of redundancies when it unveils new financial figures tomorrow.
The company declined to comment today on a report it was poised to announce more than 1,000 job losses in its stores and head office.
The GMB union warned earlier this year it feared M&S was gearing up to make big job cuts following the case of a worker who was sacked for leaking details to the media of planned changes to redundancy payments.
Legal officer Maria Ludkin said: "If today's reports are correct, M&S have to give 90 days' notice for consultation.
"If M&S tries to take a short cut and treat each shop as a separate workplace, and thereby give only 30 days' notice, GMB will not hesitate to take employment tribunal cases for a 90-day protective award."
Today's report in national newspaper said M&S was to announce the cuts. It suggested nearly 1,000 posts would be lost from from shop floors, with several hundred more jobs from head office and support sectors.
Todays warning comes after a string of store closures across the high street.
Worsening economic conditions have hit retailers hard, with crystal and china maker Waterford Wedgwood becoming the latest firm to call in administrators.
Deloitte is now hunting for a buyer in a bid to save the stricken company.
A string of businesses such as children's clothes retailer Adams, Woolworths, music and entertainment chain Zavvi, and MFI collapsed recently.
Marks & Spencer refused to comment on the report.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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