Buckie jobs blow
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STAFF at a Buckie supermarket may lose their jobs as the company they work for has gone into administration.
Twenty-one employees at the Haldanes store on East Cathcart Street are among 500 people across the country facing an uncertain future.
In a letter sent to store managers, the company said 26 stores will cease to trade after close of business today (Monday).
Although staff will be paid in full all other outstanding wages, holiday pay and statutory notice will have to be claimed by employees from the government, a process that can take up to three months.
Gordon McDonald, Buckie councillor, said: "I think this is not unexpected in the town.
"People could see there was problems with the Co-op, Haldanes and Tesco fighting for similar markets.
"But this is not a true reflection of how Buckie is going at the moment, there are no empty shops."
He added: "I am sorry for those losing their jobs, but the prospects in Buckie are looking very good."
Haldanes Stores Limited was formed around two years ago, initially to buy a group of stores the Co-operative Group had been instructed to sell by competition authorities following its acquisition of Somerfield.
Other stores operated by the Haldanes Retail Group which includes Haldanes Express and all but two of its Ugo Stores are unaffected.
Joanne McGuiness, Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) national officer said: "This is devastating news for our members but it certainly won’t have come as a complete shock to them. In addition to the recent negative news reports about the company, we have been receiving anecdotal evidence from members suggesting the chain has been struggling for a while."
"Our immediate priority is to support and represent our members through this very difficult and worrying time and we will be doing everything possible to help them secure alternative employment and to ensure they receive all monies and severance payments that they are entitled to."
