Store closing, 57 to lose jobs

Press, 7 August 1985, Page 6

Store closing, 57 to lose jobs

PA Napier Fifty-seven people will lose their jobs when L. D. Nathan, Ltd, closes its Woolworths supermarket in Tamatea on August 31. Staff were told of the closing on Monday morning. Thirteen are full-time staff, the rest part-tifoers. The assistant general manager of L. D. Nathan's supermarkets division. Mr Denis Philips, said the store had been unprofitable "for many years" and tightening economic conditions had prompted the company to make a final decision to close it. Mr Philips said the union involved was told of the closing last week and workers had received a “fairly liberal” redundancy offer.

“It is quite a good agreement by redundancy standards. I am sure the unions will be quite happy.” Mr Philips said he believed a number of jobs would be offered to Tamatea staff at the company’s other outlets in Napier and Hastings. The food and supermarkets division delegate for the shop assistants at the supermarket, Mrs Daphne Diggins, said the closing was a “terrible shock” to the staff. “It was totally unexpected — not even the manager knew.” She confirmed that the company’s redundancy offer was “reasonable,” but she said the union would try to get a better deal for sacked staff.