GMB union warns job losses at Wilko ‘may very well be introduced on Thursday’

Job losses at Wilko may very well be introduced on Thursday after a proposal to purchase the whole enterprise reportedly didn’t “pass basic checks”, in accordance with a union representing staff.

The GMB mentioned it had been advised redundancy plans on the low cost homeware chain, which had been mentioned to have been suspended earlier this week, may very well be “restarted” and the way forward for any jobs on the agency couldn’t presently be assured.

It comes after the union met with directors from PwC on Wednesday morning.

The low cost homeware items firm, which employs round 12,500 workers, collapsed earlier this month after struggling from inflationary pressures, competitors from rivals and provide chain challenges.

But the chain’s 400 branches have remained open since then within the hope a purchaser could be discovered, with PwC setting a deadline of final Friday.

Sky News understands personal fairness agency M2 Capital submitted a bid for the whole chain and talks are ongoing.

There are not any plans to shut any Wilko outlets this week.

A GMB spokesperson mentioned: “In the meeting they [PwC] advised that the company were still actively assessing a number of bids.

“However, in addition they suggested that the bid which had been obtained for the whole enterprise has but to cross fundamental checks.”

The union mentioned that if additional data from the bidder was not obtained by 5pm on Wednesday “then the redundancies which were paused yesterday are likely to be restarted tomorrow”.

It recommended this might embody roles on the firm’s distribution centres and help centre.

The GMB added: “Whilst this does mean that there are bids on the table for a significant proportion of the stores and the online business, we still cannot guarantee the future of any jobs moving forwards at this point.”

The GMB and PwC are as a consequence of maintain additional talks on Thursday.

PwC declined to remark.