KAYS PULLS OUT OF CITY

The death knell may soon be sounded for the 120-year-old firm in the city as its current owner's, Little-woods Shop Direct Group, announced a proposal to close the warehousing facility in Bransford Road.

If the plan goes ahead, the firm has admitted it will have a major impact with up to 500 job losses.

But the workers' trade union Transport and General believes more will go as the warehouse closure would mean the end of all other departments at the site. They also expect workers in transport, print and mail, and security to be affected, and put the total figure at 694.

Alun Hayes, the T&G officer for Worcester, said the union had already met with its hundreds of members on the site.

He said: "The message from us and our members is loud and clear - we are totally opposed to any closure.

"We will be doing all we can locally and nationally to support our members and protect their jobs. We believe there are several holes in what has been put forward and over the coming weeks we will in the first instance be scrutinising and challenging their business case."

Shop Direct said its proposals to close the Worcester warehouse was purely down to saving money.

A spokesman for the firm said: "Following an in-depth business review, which commenced in 2004, Shop Direct has put forward its proposal to close its Worcester collate warehousing facility situated at 250 Bransford Road

"As part of the ongoing business optimisation programme, a consolidation of the combined warehousing facilities within both Shop Direct and Littlewoods is being proposed, which will enable the business to reduce its cost base and maximise efficiencies within what is an increasingly competitive market place.

"No formal decision has been taken about the Worcester site as the recognised Trade Union, Transport and General Workers Union, is formulating its response to the proposal.

"The proposal would mean the potential loss of up to 500 jobs in Worcester and some other departments, which are also based at the site, would also be affected."

The plan would involve the transfer of current Worcester-based activities to the Littlewoods facility based in Shaw, near Oldham.

If this goes ahead, it will be put in place in the summer of 2007 and would be finalised by the end of that year.

T&G spokesman Mr Hayes added: "If Shop Direct & Littlewoods go ahead with this it would not only be a devastating blow to the men and women who work at the site, but also to the wider community of Worcester."

Future for redundant staff looks very bleak

FUTURE employment pros-pects for the workers facing the possibility of redundancy from Kays look decidedly uncertain.

At a time when the country's economy is suffering following a long period of growth, hundreds are expected to descend on Worcester's JobCentres stretching the city's employment service.

A spokesman for JobCentre plus said the organisation would be there to help if called upon.

He said: JobCentre Plus is prepared to help and work with partners if it should be necessary."

The spokesman added that as the company had not yet made anyone redundant, and that it was speculation at the moment, he didn't want to comment about job losses which were just speculation.

However, most of those losing their jobs can almost certainly expect a difficult time in the short term and many will be hoping that the county's employers will need extra pairs of hands in the lead up to Christmas.

The latest victim in long list of disasters

KAYS is the latest historic and traditional Worcester firm to be hit by news of job losses and production changes.

Last month, Carmichael announced the last fire engine was set to roll off its Worcester production line.

The 150-year-old firm said it was to stop making vehicles in the city after more than half-a-century.

The firm, which supplies rescue vehicles to airports, oil refineries and fire services worldwide, announced it was shifting its production line overseas because of rising costs that were putting 45 shop-floor jobs at the Weir Lane based company in jeopardy.

In April, more than 100 people were made redundant from Royal Worcester Porcelain leaving 200 staff at the world-famous company. The announcement was the latest to have hit the historic city firm in the last two years.

The company, which opened in 1751, axed 100 jobs in November 2003 because of market conditions.

In August 2004 the firm revealed it had sold its Portland Walk factory and property on Severn Street to developers to pay off borrowings. More than 400 homes and 200 jobs will be on offer if the company's plans for a "Mini Venice", including a museum, art gallery and canalside walkway, get the go-ahead from planners.

And two years ago engine maker Cosworth Technol-ogy, based at Wainwright Road, Warndon, announced 250 job losses.

Cosworth Technology designs bespoke high-performance engines for some of the world's leading car manufacturers.

It made the cylinder heads and engine blocks for the Aston Martin Vanquish's V12, which had a starring role in the last James Bond film Die Another Day.

I'll fight to keep it open, says Foster

WORCESTER MP Mike Foster has vowed to fight to keep the former Kays catalogue company in the city.

He has joined forces with the Transport and General Workers' Union to draw up a business plan to persuade Shop Direct to keep the warehouse in Bransford Road open.

He said: "I believe it is a viable and productive site and we will be using this as the basis of our case.

"The site and its workers are very efficient and it strikes me that is why they want to close it - because there are less redundancies to pay than in any of the other warehouses the firm has."

However, if the worst did happen, Mr Foster has also been working with business groups in the city and beyond to minimise job losses.

He is setting up a Rover-style task force consisting of JobCentre Plus, Advantage West Midlands, the Learning and Skills Council, the Chamber of Commerce, and the city and county councils.

He added: "Our main priority at the moment is to keep Shop Direct in Worcester, but should that not work, then I have set in motion a group that will help workers.

"If it does close, there will be a two-year gap before those jobs are lost, but this group will be available at a drop of the hat should things happen before then.

"It would make sure individuals are given advice on how best to get reemployment, help them to find work, and if necessary, provide them with new learning opportunities.

"My role will be a business one, and not a political one, in all of this. If there are hundreds of job losses, people won't be bothered about me asking questions in Parliament, they will be worried about how they are going to pay their mortgage."

Christopher Harvey, policy and lobbying manager for the Chamber of Commerce, Hereford-shire and Worcestershire, added his support.

He said: "We will do anything we can to argue the case to keep the business here. Worcester has a long association with Kays and we believe that the loyalty of the workforce in the area and the long historical links the company has with the city would work to their advantage if they maintain Worcester as a business base.

"Worcester has a flexible and highly skilled workforce and all the necessary support services to enable a business such as this to flourish and develop.

"If, at the end of the day, the company did decide to close its Worcester premises, then the Chamber of Commerce and Business Link would join in the task force that has been brought together by Mike Foster."

Mayor: It's an absolute disaster

The Mayor of Worcester, Aubrey Tarbuck, above, said he was 'shocked' and 'appalled' at the proposed closure.

He moved to the Faithful City as a teenager and said he remembered when the firm thrived.

The 75-year-old said: "I can remember when the likes of Kays and Royal Worcester hired a great deal of employees.

"They helped to give Worcester its identity and it is sad to see them all going.

"It would be horrendous if hundreds more jobs were to be lost from the city - I was so shocked when I heard the news.

"These people will be absolutely devastated - whether they be young, middle-aged or nearing the end of their career.

"But it won't be just the workers it will affect - it will have a knock-on effect for the whole of the Worcester economy. I just hope as a council we can alleviate the damage if the worst happens.

"It's an absolute disaster."

We wouldn't be shocked if we all lost our jobs, say workers

THERE was sadness from some, but no sense of shock or surprise among shift workers at Shop Direct's Bransford Road warehouse about its proposed closure.

"There have been rumours for months and we have all expected it," said a woman who had worked at the site for 11 years.

A man who had been there 21 years was already looking for another job.

"Common sense tells you there is no future here, but nothing has been clarified," he said. "We wouldn't be shocked if we all lost our jobs."

A young man said he was only there as a temp and was not happy with the working environment.

"It looks dilapidated and the computer is about eight years old. It doesn't look like they have plans for the future," he said.

A print and mail worker said most employees had known the closure was coming.

"Once the Littlewoods people took over we thought they might do this. The word is that Tesco might want the site," he said.

And a man in his 50s said it would suit him to be made redundant.

"I started in 1973 and I have had enough of working 12 hour shifts, especially at night," he said.

"We have been Kays, Reality and Shopdirect and I have already been made redundant once and then come back.

"In the recent past we have seen a decline in orders and the question has been, 'When are the next redundancies coming?'

"The ones I feel most sorry for are the young lads we took on two or three years ago, when we thought we were expanding."

A Worcester man and woman arriving to start their shift said they were very sad at the news the warehouse would close, while others, including a cleaner and a print room worker, said they were employed by contractors and would not really be affected.

Neighbour Colin Keegan said it would be a disaster for Worcester's biggest employer to pull out of the city.

"I live right next door and I want them to stay. The site is clean and tidy, with security lights and cameras.

"It could have a detrimental effect for me if they go and the site is split up," he said.

Another neighbour, Lisa Wood, said the company had been slowly closing down its Worcester operation for some time.

"But it's such a big employer it will have a massive effect on Worcester," she said.