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Usdaw
exposes the truth behind Shop Direct call centre closures in Aintree and
Bolton USDAW
officials have been shocked to discover the truth behind the closure of 2
North West call centres run by Webhelp for Shop Direct owners of the popular
Very and Littlewoods brands.
The closure of the Aintree and Bolton Call Centres, confirmed now, will
result in the loss of over 700 jobs across both sites.
The company originally said the closures are a result of customers
preferring to shop online rather than ring call centres. However, talks with
Usdaw have now revealed that the Aintree and Bolton sites could easily have
dealt with the move to online shopping at little or no extra cost, but the
company has rejected all the union's counter proposals to save jobs.
The real reason for the closures is to move the jobs to a South African call
centre where staff are paid just £2.39 per hour.
Usdaw also believes that the decision to close Aintree and Bolton was taken
many months ago and that Webhelp will ultimately close its Cardiff site,
shipping those jobs to South Africa too.
Mike Aylward - Usdaw Divisional Officer says:- "Our members are on the
floor after hearing the truth behind this morally bankrupt decision to close
Aintree and Bolton. No British worker can compete with £2.39 per hour and
they shouldn't have to. Companies should have loyalty to the workforce and
communities that have made them what they are."
Usdaw will now be holding a ballot of all its members on the Aintree and
Bolton Sites to ask them whether they want to take industrial action to
oppose the closures. The union has challenged the business to be honest with
their customers and ask them whether they would like the Very and
Littlewoods call centres to move to South Africa. |
