Asda

Asda has warned that 3,000 workers in its stores are at risk of losing their jobs as the chain plans to ramp up investment in online sales. The UK's third-largest supermarket chain said the shake-up was driven by the shift in demand towards grocery deliveries which charged forward for the sector as a whole at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Asda said that while it had begun consultations with 5,000 of its back office store workers, it hoped the plan would result in a net gain in the number employed by the company. A union, which fought a pitched battle with Asda over new contracts just over a year ago, said it would fight to ensure no compulsory redundancies. But Asda said that, on a net basis, its plans would create 1,500 new jobs as it was seeking 4,500 staff to drive growth in online. Advertisement It was expected that many of those tipped to lose out would be able to take on one of the new roles, Asda said. Those facing the axe were … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Asda places 3,000 jobs at risk as part of online investment drive

There were an estimated 4.7 million employees furloughed at the end of January with women accounting for the majority of the number, according to provisional Treasury figures. They showed a leap in demand for the Job Retention Scheme during the month as England entered its third COVID-19 lockdown, forcing hospitality and non-essential retail businesses into a winter hibernation. The furlough scheme, which has been extended three times, provides up to 80% of salaries to a cap of £2,500 per month. The latest data showed that the number of women furloughed had risen to 2.32 million by 31 January while the number of men stood at 2.18 million. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Hospitality pleads for 'significant' Sunak support The Treasury said all sectors of the economy drew down on the scheme - with the total number rising from four million at the end of December. Advertisement More than 11 million workers' … [Read more...] about COVID-19: More women than men furloughed as 4.7m use scheme, Treasury data reveals

The government and private sector should forge a new partnership to fuel a post-pandemic recovery that could include greater financial contributions from businesses to aid policy reforms, some of Britain's leading bosses have told Boris Johnson. Sky News has seen an open letter sent to the prime minister by the COVID Recovery Commission, a group set up last year that is chaired by the Tesco chairman, John Allan, and includes top executives from AstraZeneca, Heathrow Airport, Shell and Vodafone. In it, the executives acknowledge that building a "stronger, fairer and more resilient" economy will involve "a recognition that business's place in the 21st century will be to serve more than just shareholders". The letter will be accompanied by the publication of a report on Friday - Building Back Together - in which the Commission raises the prospect of private sector employers investing more into a more effective apprenticeship scheme than the widely criticised Apprenticeship … [Read more...] about Forge new post-COVID partnership with business, bosses urge Johnson

Serco's decision to pay an annual dividend has been criticised by Sir Keir Starmer after the company's revenues were boosted by £350m from Test and Trace. The Labour leader said it was "outrageous" that the outsourcing giant was resuming pay-outs to shareholders after its results showed income lifted by the much-criticised programme. Serco's annual profits rose 89% to £153m as revenues climbed by £636m, or 20%, to £2.88bn. Chief executive Rupert Soames said it was the right time to resume pay-outs to investors - at 1.4p a share or around £17m overall - after it shored up its financial position and repaid government COVID support. Shares rose 3%. Mr Soames also played down the impact of the pandemic in lifting profits and revealed that the company was paying £5m extra to 50,000 frontline staff to recognise the "intense pressure" they had faced. Advertisement But Labour leader Sir Keir said in a tweet: "Taxpayers' money shouldn't be given to … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Serco criticised for paying dividend after £350m Test and Trace boost

Serco, the outsourcing company, has agreed to pay £22.9m in fines and costs in a settlement with the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) relating to its electronic tagging contract scandal. The company said it had agreed a so-called deferred prosecution agreement that saw its UK subsidiary Serco Geografix take responsibility for three offences of fraud and two of false accounting. They relate to an understatement of profits under contracts held with the Ministry of Justice between 2010 and 2013 for the monitoring of offenders in the community. Serco, which referred itself to the SFO in 2013, faced allegations it had been charging the government for supervising the movements of people who were either dead, in jail, or had left the country. The agreement, which is subject to court approval, means the company is not due to face formal criminal charges. Advertisement It had previously paid a £70m settlement to the government. Serco said no board members or … [Read more...] about Serco to pay £22.9m in fines and costs over electronic tag scandal