Union pleased that Whitcoulls workers spared redundancies

The National Distribution Union says that it is pleased that no New Zealand workers are included in the first 321 redundancies announced by the administrators of REDgroup Retail, the former owners of the Whitcoulls and Borders bookstores in NZ.

The NDU represents workers at Whitcoulls Distribution Centre and some of its bookstores.

The REDgroup announced a short time ago that it is closing 37 Angus and Robertson and 1 Borders bookstore in Australia with a loss of 321 jobs.

Robert Reid, General Secretary of the NDU and member of the Whitcoulls creditors’ committee said:

"We feel for those Australian workers who have been made redundant. We are relieved however that the administrators have honoured their pledge to the staff, the union and its New Zealand creditors that it will endeavour to sell the Whitcoulls and Borders chains in New Zealand as a going concern."

“The announcement confirms the administrators' earlier statements that the New Zealand operation of REDgroup Retail is in better shape than the Australian operations."

“NZ workers will, however, remain worried until such a sale takes place and jobs are secured under a new owner," Robert Reid said.

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