Union Unite remains optimistic that most of the jobs under threat as a result of a restructure at TNT Fashion Group UK can be saved, regional officer Nick Halton told Motortransport.co.uk after an initial consultation meeting with the company.
Up to 130 jobs at three sites in Leicester, Clayton and Glasgow may be impacted by the recently revealed plan to integrate elements of TNT Fashion’s dedicated supply chain operation with the wider TNT Express network.
The plan, which is due to be implemented from March, would see TNT Fashion continue to operate from its own network of 16 depots with wider access to the resources of the 53 depots in the TNT Express network.
Halton told Motortransport.co.uk that the initial meeting with the firm on 29 January “went well” and that he hoped a majority of those affected, including over 90 drivers at the Clayton depot which is due to close when the lease runs out in late March, could be saved or redeployed within the wider TNT Express network.
“I can see the negotiations being fairly smooth,” he said. “There are good indications the majority of the drivers can fit in with the Express network.”
Only a handful of jobs are likely to be affected at the Glasgow site, while at Leicester, retention of a contract means there may not be any redundancies at all, said Halton.
The next consultation meeting is scheduled for 14 February.