The UK’s largest union has written to supermarket bosses asking for one-to-one meetings to “explore constructive avenues to secure jobs”.
Unite said it had written to Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, Spar and Musgrave, the Irish owner of Budgens, as major groups cut jobs and workers’ terms and conditions.
“We are very conscious of the trading position many retailers are currently facing but we do not agree that the only way to move forward is by decisions to close stores, attack pensions and lay off workers,” the union said in its letter.
This week Tesco announced the closure of the last six Homeplus stores with the loss of 450 jobs. That came after the retailer confirmed it had axed nearly 5,ooo head office and UK store management jobs on top of 2,500 lost when it closed 43 Tesco stores this year.
