Cautious optimism over Whitcoulls sale

The National Distribution Union is expressing cautious optimism following today's announcement of the successful sale of Whitcoulls and Borders as a going concern in New Zealand.

REDGroup Retail's administrator Ferrier Hodgson has today announced that James Pascoe Group has bought the New Zealand operations.

NDU General Secretary Robert Reid, who is also a member of the Whitcoulls creditors' committee, said that the over 900 workers at Whitcoulls and Borders would welcome the news that their jobs were now more secure.

"The NDU represents workers at the Whitcoulls' distribution centre in Auckland and a handful in the retail outlets. We have been active in working with the administrators to ensure the rights of all workers were protected at every step of the process, including at the creditors committee."

"Our union already has a relationship with James Pascoes Group. There are several hundred workers at Farmers who have an NDU collective agreement with Pascoes-owned Farmers Trading Company.

"We will be able to build on this relationship to ensure that the employment rights of Whitcoulls and Borders workers are protected during the transition."

"An important issue during the sale process is ensuring that the rights of the Whitcoulls and Borders workers are maintained, including in areas like wages, redundancy, holiday and annual leave entitlements," he said.

Background
REDgroup Retail was the former owner of the Australasian operations of Borders and Whitcoulls. They were put into administration in mid February, and Australian-based Ferrier Hodgson has been handling the sale process.

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