The TGWU has accused Whitbread
of selling its 3,000 pubs without consulting its workers over changes to their
redundancy package.
Whitbread sold the pubs to
venture capital firm Morgan Grenfell Private Equity (MGPE) this week.
The union says that Whitbread
had altered the redundancy packages of 3,000 pub managers without prior
consultation.
"It would seem to me that
Whitbread have deliberately changed their redundancy policy, that is to reduce
any payments, to make it a more attractive proposition to any potential
buyer," said Peter Love, national officer for the TGWU’s pub managers.
The union met with Whitbread in
early February to discuss implications for workers.
"The company told us the
enhanced redundancy scheme, which has applied since the mid-80s, would not
apply," said Love.
Love expects MGPE to honour
existing severance agreements under Tupe regulations and is seeking a meeting
with the company to discuss the future.
By
Karen Higginbottom
