Warehouses remain tight-lipped over worker losses

Hastings and Napier Warehouse workers maybe affected by the major restructure. Photo / Paul Taylor

It's still uncertain whether the Hastings and Napier Warehouses will be affected by job losses due to a major restructure.

A spokesperson from The Warehouse Group said they were unable to comment on the matter.

"We shared a proposal with our team last week which we developed with input from a working group of store managers. It's a proposal only and we are seeking feedback from team members in our 93 stores before deciding on next steps."

First Union confirmed that 180 workers from 93 stores across the country would be losing their jobs.

First Union organiser Kate Davis said that after the restructure, new managers would be leaving customers with "a Walmart, but without the yodelling boy".

Speaking to Hawke's Bay Today from a Warehouse store in Westgate, she said a number of workers had serious concerns for their jobs.

"I think it's the more mature workers who have been in their roles for a long time who are the ones being affected.

"These workers have been at their jobs 20 years, we're talking about people who are stock supervisors. I've spoken to three stock worker supervisors and we now know that this particular job no longer exists."

Davis said new management in The Warehouse Group had been bringing American corporate consultancies into their stores for recommendations for restructures as well as downsizing management teams.

"We just thought now that they're spending $6 million on management salaries that perhaps they could come up with something a little more original, which would show a little more initiative without making people redundant.

"The company has said that this is not a money making exercise. So if this isn't about cost-saving, then surely these people can keep their jobs and keep the same rate of pay."

Davis said workers at stores in the cities were more likely to find jobs, but it would be more difficult in regional areas such as Hawke's Bay. "There aren't as many alternatives as there are in the city, so I think it's going to be regional areas that will be hit the hardest."

First Union said it was still uncertain which stores would be affected as The Warehouse Group wasn't releasing any information.

"I've heard nothing specific, we have put a request into the companies for a store by store breakdown. We know the information is available, we know the store managers have it, but for some reason the company are not prepared to give it to us."

It's believed The Warehouse Group would be basing its restructure around lowering costs and increasing competitiveness.

But Davis failed to see how they could do that with fewer staff in the big red shed.

"They said they're going to focus on better customer service with fewer staff.

"They're focused on putting in self-serving checkouts throughout all the stores before the end of the year, so there's going to be less staff and they're going to lose that people factor."