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Workers at Topshop online depot announce Cyber Monday strike Staff at Topshop online depot announce Cyber Monday strike
(35 minutes later)
Sir Philip Green faces a fresh blow after workers at a Topshop online distribution depot announced plans to strike on Cyber Monday, one of the busiest trading days of the year. Workers at a Topshop online distribution depot have announced plans to strike on Cyber Monday, one of the busiest trading days of the year, in a fresh blow to Sir Philip Green.
Just over half of about 200 workers at a depot in Shirley, Solihull, which is operated by Spectrum for Arcadia, a division of logistics firm DHL, plan to walk out on Monday morning, according to the GMB union. Just over half of the 200 workers at the depot in Shirley, West Midlands, which is operated by Spectrum for Arcadia, a division of logistics company DHL, plan to walk out on Monday morning, according to the GMB union.
Monday is one of the busiest online sales days of the year when the depot is also likely to be handling orders from the Black Friday promotional day. As well as handling online sales on Monday, the depot is likely to be processing orders from the Black Friday promotional day.
The strike comes as Green faces calls for assets including his £100m yacht to be seized in order to settle the pension debts of BHS, the collapsed retail chain he once owned. The strike announcement comes as Green faces calls for assets including his £100m yacht to be seized in order to settle the £571m pension deficit at BHS, the collapsed retail chain he owned for 15 years.
Most workers at the Solihull depot are paid only £7.20 an hour – the minimum wage for over-25s. David Warwick, an organiser for GMB, said workers wanted the independently calculated living wage of £8.45. Most workers at the Solihull depot are paid £7.20 an hour, the minimum wage for over-25s. David Warwick, an organiser for GMB, said workers wanted the independently calculated living wage of £8.45.
Warwick said: “It’s a disgrace that Sir Philip Green, who holds the purse strings on this DHL contract and has enriched himself on the backs of these loyal workers, is refusing to put a sensible offer on the table. I sincerely hope he takes some time from sailing his luxury yacht to reconsider his position and pay his workers enough money for a decent standard of living.” Warwick said: “It’s a disgrace that Sir Philip Green, who holds the purse strings on this DHL contract and has enriched himself on the backs of these loyal workers, is refusing to put a sensible offer on the table.
He said there were also concerns about the recruitment of workers on short-term contracts for the busy festive period, as they were working on controversial “flex” contracts, which meant they could find themselves working longer or shorter days with little notice. “I sincerely hope he takes some time from sailing his luxury yacht to reconsider his position and pay his workers enough money for a decent standard of living.”
“These contracts affect two groups in a detrimental way,” said Warwick. “Those on the flex contract who may only get notified of their hours on the day and also the core staff who used to be able to volunteer for overtime and boost their income at this time of year.” He said there were also concerns about the recruitment of workers on short-term contracts for the busy festive period, as they were working on controversial “flex” arrangements, which meant they could find themselves working longer or shorter days with little notice.
“These contracts affect two groups in a detrimental way,” Warwick said. “Those on the flex contract, who may only get notified of their hours on the day, and also the core staff, who used to be able to volunteer for overtime and boost their income at this time of year.”
Arcadia and DHL were unavailable for comment.Arcadia and DHL were unavailable for comment.