DHL MAN

Up to 83 jobs, including a dozen driving jobs, are at risk at Dublin-based distribution firm Johnson Brothers after it decided to outsource warehousing work to DHL (pictured), according to union SIPTU.

It said the announcement that it planned to implement redundancies came as a shock and it was urging the company to reconsider.

The union said it had enlisted the help of advisory and conciliation body the Labour Relations Commission and it was meeting with them later this week.

However, a DHL Supply Chain spokeswoman confirmed that it had already entered into a contract with Johnson Brothers to provide warehouse and transport services and it would start next month.

“Obviously it’s a decision we don’t agree with,” added SIPTU organiser Karen O’Loughlin. “We have asked them to reconsider and to open discussions and look at alternatives. But they say the decision is made and they are not for turning.”

Another SIPTU organiser, Graham Macken, said: “Management has accepted that it has proposed a collective redundancy situation. It has also agreed to respect its statutory obligation to enter into a 30 day negotiation period during which no notice of redundancy can be served on employees.”

A Johnson Brothers spokeswoman said: "The new arrangements will regrettably necessitate 83 redundancies at the company’s warehouse and transport operations with the outsourcing of this function to an external provider.

"Johnson Brothers’ other operations employing 200 staff at Ballymount are not affected by this announcement."

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