Latest news with #DavidBartlett
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Wilko workers to receive $2.7m payout after tribunal ruling
An employment tribunal has ruled in favour of 10,000 former employees of failed UK high street retailer Wilko, following a legal victory by the GMB union. 9,000 ex-employees from larger stores, each with a workforce of at least 20 individuals, are entitled to £2m ($2.7m) compensation equivalent to four days' wages. 1,100 former staff members from distribution and support centres will receive remuneration for 13 days. The ruling determined that Wilko did not engage in adequate consultation with its workforce before entering administration in 2023. GMB represented the interests of thousands of its members who were affected by job losses when the discount retailer collapsed. Its successful legal challenge has led to this financial redress for the impacted workers. GMB rep and former Wilko worker David Bartlett stated: 'It has been a long, hard, slog getting this money – the very least Wilko workers deserve after the way they were treated. 'In no way will this make up for the stress and anxiety they faced during those dark days in 2023. 'But GMB hopes it will give them a much-needed boost as they move on with their new lives and careers.' In August 2023, the retailer announced the closure of the majority of its stores as it failed to secure a buyer, putting 12,500 jobs and 400 stores at risk. During negotiations, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), acting as Wilko's administrator, confirmed that saving the majority of the business was unlikely. However, M2 Capital proposed a £90m rescue bid, promising to keep all employee positions secure for two years. GMB Union has now reached a settlement regarding the protective award for Band 1 employees made redundant during the administration process. The consultation period required by law was 45 days for distribution centres and support centres, and 30 days for larger stores. The settlement reflects the discrepancy between the required consultation duration and what was provided by Wilko. This is the reason for the difference in compensation for different groups of employees. "Former Wilko workers to receive $2.7m payout after tribunal ruling" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Major UK chain goes bust with thousands of workers set for £200 payment
Thousands of ex-Wilko workers are being handed £2million in cash after the chain collapsed into administration. The GMB union said a judgement handed down by the Employment Tribunal ruled that Wilko had failed to properly consult with workers prior to going bust in 2023. Around 9,000 former staff who worked in a store with 20 or more people will get four days' pay while roughly 1,100 who worked in a distribution centre or support centre role will get 13 days' pay, the union said. David Bartlett, former Wilko worker and GMB rep, said: 'It has been a long, hard slog getting this money – the very least Wilko workers deserve after the way they were treated. READ MORE: Warning for more than three million drivers who hold Blue Badge in UK READ MORE: Kate Middleton's heartbreaking four-word admission as she speaks of wish for Princess Lilibet READ MORE Households warned over supermarket item which has left 95 ill and 58 in hospital 'In no way will this make up for the stress and anxiety they faced during those dark days in 2023. But GMB hopes it will give them a much-needed boost as they move on with their new lives and careers.' Workers can expect a payout of around £200 each. In 2023, HMV owner Doug Putman said his planned rescue of the retailer Wilko collapsed because 'everyone just got a little bit greedy' and was not thinking about the jobs that could have been saved. Before former Wilko bosses will be grilled by MPs on the collapse of the chain, Putman said: 'I thought we did have a deal, we thought we would get that over the line.' 'They were super inflexible,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme, referring to the retailer's landlords and suppliers. 'For those four months, the amount of money that the companies wanted to charge made the Wilko deal literally impossible to do. And that was something that was found out really late in the game.' He said one of the landlords, who hosted Wilko's servers in a tiny room, wanted to charge rent on the whole 1m sq ft facility for Putman to keep the computers. 'Everyone just got a little bit greedy and unfortunately weren't thinking about the 10,000-plus jobs that would have been saved and were only thinking about their little piece of it,' Putman said. 'PwC really wanted the deal, we wanted the deal, we had a deal. We had an agreement and these things kind of came out of the woodwork for both of us where we were both a bit stunned. So that was kind of the most unfortunate piece of the whole thing. Sometimes big companies just don't think an awful lot about the impacts to individuals.'
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Former Wilko workers to share £2m payout
A £2m payout has been awarded to almost 10,000 former employees of failed high street retailer GMB union said it had won a legal case on behalf of former workers at the chain, which fell into administration and shut in union said a judgement handed down by the Employment Tribunal had ruled Wilko failed to consult staff before 9,000 former staff who worked in a store with 20 or more people will get four days' pay, while roughly 1,100 employees who worked in a distribution centre or support centre role will get 13 days' pay, according to the union. Former Wilko worker and union representative David Bartlett said the award was "the very least Wilko workers deserve". 'Much-needed boost' He added: "It has been a long, hard slog getting this money."In no way will this make up for the stress and anxiety they faced during those dark days in 2023 but GMB hopes it will give them a much-needed boost as they move on with their new lives and careers."The business was founded in 1930 when JK Wilkinson opened his first store in expanded across the Midlands initially and by the 1990s became one of Britain's fastest-growing retailers, rebranding as Wilko in in early August 2023 the firm, headquartered in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, collapsed into administration and put 12,500 jobs at risk, before closing down its 400 stores the following month.
Scottish Sun
12-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Thousands of ex-Wilko workers to get £100s cash after chain collapsed into administration, union claims
Do you have a money story? We'd love to hear from you please email: money@ PAY OUT Thousands of ex-Wilko workers to get £100s cash after chain collapsed into administration, union claims Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THOUSANDS of former Wilko workers will share a payout of £2million following a legal case. The case was taken on by GMB on behalf of thousands of members who lost their job when the discount store went into administration. 1 Wilko employees are set to receive a payout Credit: Ray Collins The GMB union said a judgment handed down by the Employment Tribunal ruled that Wilko had failed to properly consult with workers prior to going bust in 2023. As a result, around 9,000 former staff who worked in a store with 20 or more people will get four days' pay while roughly 1,100 who worked in a distribution centre or support centre role will get 13 days' pay, the union said. It works out at around £200 each. The GMB took the case on behalf of thousands of its members who lost their job when the discount store went into administration. David Bartlett, former Wilko worker and GMB rep, said: 'It has been a long, hard slog getting this money – the very least Wilko workers deserve after the way they were treated. 'In no way will this make up for the stress and anxiety they faced during those dark days in 2023. 'But GMB hopes it will give them a much-needed boost as they move on with their new lives and careers.'
The Sun
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Thousands of ex-Wilko workers to get £100s cash after chain collapsed into administration, union claims
THOUSANDS of former Wilko workers will share a payout of £2million following a legal case. The case was taken on by GMB on behalf of thousands of members who lost their job when the discount store went into administration. 1 The GMB union said a judgment handed down by the Employment Tribunal ruled that Wilko had failed to properly consult with workers prior to going bust in 2023. As a result, around 9,000 former staff who worked in a store with 20 or more people will get four days' pay while roughly 1,100 who worked in a distribution centre or support centre role will get 13 days' pay, the union said. It works out at around £200 each. The GMB took the case on behalf of thousands of its members who lost their job when the discount store went into administration. David Bartlett, former Wilko worker and GMB rep, said: 'It has been a long, hard slog getting this money – the very least Wilko workers deserve after the way they were treated. 'In no way will this make up for the stress and anxiety they faced during those dark days in 2023. 'But GMB hopes it will give them a much-needed boost as they move on with their new lives and careers.'
