‘No-fuss’ redundancy

Press, 20 October 1981, Page 6

‘No-fuss’ redundancy

While the' Rixen redundancy dispute in Levin smoulders on, threatening to become a political issue, an agreement on redundancy for 49 workers in Christchurch has been reached after only two days of talks.

The agreement was finalised yesterday between the management of John Burns, Ltd, and trade unions representing the 49 members who will be redundant from the end of this month when the ' company sells its Christchurch business. Under the terms of the agreement workers made re-

dundant will be entitled to four weeks wages for the first year of. service and two weeks for each year after the first, with a limit of 25 years. This means that about six workers with more than 25 years experience each will get a golden handshake of between $4OOO and $6OOO gross. All redundant workers who were members of the John Burns superannuation scheme will also get their employee entitlements as well as the employer contribution, plus interest. The assistant secretary of

the Canterbury Clerical Workers’ Union, Mr’ E. G. Crockett, said that more talks would be .held on the future of an estimated $500,000 in superannuation reserves. Of the original 60 workers employed by John Burns in Christchurch, only 11 have been found jobs with the new company, which will run the retail hardware outlet, W. H. Collins and Company, Ltd. Twenty-two of those made redundant are clerical workers. The rest are storemen, drivers, travellers, cleaners, and a cafeteria worker.