Woolies payment approved
Wednesday 4th February 2009, 5:40PM GMT.
FORMER Woolworths staff were celebrating this evening after the States overwhelmingly backed calls for them to pay notice period payments.
Members voted 34 to nine in favour of Deputy Geoff Southern’s proposition which asked the States to fund the notice payments, amounting to £139,500, and claim the money back from the administrators. Four Members abstained.
The former Woolworths staff have spent the last six weeks campaigning after being denied redundancy and notice payments following the collapse of the high street giant.
• Picture: Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur being met by former Woolworths staff when they staged a protest outside the States Chamber
• Full report in Thursday’s Jersey Evening Post.
Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.
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WHAT!!! now let’s wait for the floodgates to open.
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Now doesn’t that:
1. Go against present Laws?
and
2. Now open the flood gates for any company now that ceases trading?
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Does this mean that everyone who gets made redundant will now collect payments from the States?
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I am so pleased for all the staff at Woolworths and for the members of the States pulling together to do the right thing! This certainly lifts up all our spirits! Great news!
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Well done Geoff!
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this hould open the flood gates would it not be better to wake up some of the clerks in income support and give to those who really need it
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Delighted to hear this but who were the states members who voted against or abstained. These people should be named so we know who they are and can remove them in future.
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An absolute disgrace !! How much is it now going to cost us the tax payer to TRY and claim it back from the administrators? It is not the States job to fight individual civil cases.
Goodbye Jersey. Time to move and pay my taxes elsewhere.
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If they don’t get the money back, all 34 states members who voted to pay should be held accountable for the amount outstanding. They have allowed corporate debt onto public books and have therefore jeopardised tax payers money.
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they are helping all at woolies, now try and bail out the pound shop. it would not be for long as tourists will come soon, and we always like a bargain, so long live the pound shop,start buying before its gone for ever just like woolies. you know you never miss anything until it has gone.
regards. Jay. Doe.
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What a disgrace! Once again the minorities win.
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This is wrong, we are now off the top of the slippery slope and sliding into higher taxes to pay for private sectors problems. The States should have not done this and it now set a president other unfortunates who will loose their jobs.
What happens if a local firm of builders goes, will the states cover their staff payments.
Are the ex staff of woolies going to put any effort to get the money back fot the us, because it is our money we are giving them.
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Thank you States for spending more of our money
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Ridiculous…
I seriously wonder whether these people have ANY common sense whatsoever!!!!!!
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Typical, these guys have no idea how to run this island and be responsible for our funds. They want to increase tax bills and introduce GST and get every penny they can from us and then have the nerve to throw away £140,000 on something that they do not need to. Dont get me wrong i feel for the woolies staff but redundancies are part of life and they need to move on and spend their efforts getting new jobs rather then fleecing the states out of our cash.
I am starting to become ashamed to be a Jersey resident…….
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OK, Hope “The States” ar going to help Mercury Contruction and EVERY-OTHER firm that goes the same way……………
Name and shame “THE 34″
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I think I am going to become self employed, make my self redundant get a pay out, then go off on the sick permanently and live off benefits, get states housing, become a drunk and get more money to pay for my beer whilst I sit in the park.
This island is a joke!
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the states were to blame for not doing nothing about bringing in redundancy law they left it on the back-boiler for years,so its only right to pay them.
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very well done to the states members who voted to push this forward nice to see some have hearts after all to the one’s thats didn’t shame on you and all the people on this rock that feel the same i wouldnt like to see any one of you lot out a job with out a single penny i bet you would want justice like the woolies staff did
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Good on the Woolworths staff and GS for persisting for the right outcome. However it may be that there is a claim against Woolworths on their assets in the Island, so it may not ultimately come from the public coffers.
However, let’s hope this is a strong wake-up call for the States to now get a proper redundancy law in place in this Island, because they have surely set a precedant now, and the present state of affairs means that many other people made redundant this way will be jumping on the bandwagon.
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Agree with most of the comments here, a disgrace that the States of Jersey have sided with the minority. Only 10,000 people signed the Woolworths petition. If we are to believe the latest population figures of c.90,000, then only 11% of the population supported the payment from the govt to the former Woolworth’s staff. They should have asked for £14 from everyone who signed the petition and therefore supported the payment of the c.£140k, that way the tax payer would not be forced to suffer to make redundancy payments when it is not the reason why we are taxed. The politicians should go back on this decision as they have violated the electorate and tax laws. I encourage everyone against this to petition their states representative to have this overturned. People are right, all those who now lose their job will be going cap in hand to the States on the dangerous precedent that has now been set. Jersey States members are a continuing joke, especially Southern who it has been alleged has been found to be “influencing” postal ballots. The sooner the JDA are ousted, the sooner Jersey can get on with running itself as a first class offshore financial centre.
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I’m genuinely pleased for the Woolies employees – hard working folk and they will appreciate and need the money I’m sure.
However this just tells the administrators of any future companies in bankruptcy to definitely not pay staff in Jersey – the States will fund it. As for reclaiming the money from the administrators, let’s all start whistling for it now.
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The payment to woolies was not for redundancy but for statutory notice which they were entitled to under Jersey Law. Woolworths have broken the law and will be held accountable in order to retrieve the funds back as the company hold assets on the Island. Each case can only be taken on its merits and if the government are not there to help people then exactly what are they there to do? I would ask people who are so single minded to instead of make uninformed remarks such as above to release their frustrations in the direction of our representatives (deputies, senators and constables) because these people who vote on our behalf cannot speak on our behalf unless we communicate with them. That is the problem with the Island these days people love to moan but don’t do anything about it lets just keep closing the door and pretend its not really happening until it really affects us personally. Its a joke!!!!!!
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Are these people now going to live off this money until they find further employment or further enhance their income by signing up for benefits?
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Im pleased for the Woolies staff but this decision will have far reaching consequences. A precedent has been set and we will all be liable to pay for it in the end from our hard earnt tax contributions.
I also want to know who abstained from voting and why.
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I don’t often criticise Terry but I’m afraid this is a weak decision by him and the other 33 who voted for this.
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This will cost the tax payers dearly!
An article in the Sun Yesterday (Before the Vote) stated that the only creditors to get any money would be the banks and the administrators.
So the States will have to have a legal battle against the administrators to get back any money paid. Tax payers expense.
While i am happy for the Woolworth Workers i now wonder where the line is to be drawn.
Luggage Shop, Horseplay, Toy Shops, Pound World and who else?
Do the staff in the above have a claim?
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Well, lucky for the woolies staff. Unlucky for the thousands of others in the past, present and future who will never be represented by the states. In fact how they managed to get such representation amazed me.
Those making comments regarding naming and shaming those who voted against it are completely uninformed and frankly childish if they cannot work out for themselves what a precedent this sets. Then again judging by such comments they probably won’t understand what the word precedent means.
Well done the states you really just prove yourselves over and over again to have the common sense of roadkill.
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I think Kipper and the Pink Panther should have their taxes increased to show how charity actually works in a State run system. Do they want their taxes to be increase to pay for more redundancies in the private sector? Name the states members who said yes and have them pay. Then make them redundant at the next election.
If this carries on then last man off this island can switch off the lights.
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Let me get this stright… I can get compensation from the goverment if i am made redundant? – Where the hell is my check!?
Fruthermore, what is going to happen when Barrets or other stores fail due to the current economic climate? – We as Tax payers are going to pick up the Tab? – Furthermore, I think the fact is that the ‘Skillful’ woolies staff cant get another job anywhere. What happens when the compensation runs out? – Doll?
Good job States!!! – Stop trying to win back the Jersey peoples trust. Your too late, its been shattered.
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I am not to clued up on redundancy law over here but always assumed there was none. Are they only getting this cause its a UK company or is this the same for everybody who could possibly be made redundant?
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I felt sorry for the Woolworth staff but, they should not have expected compensation to come from the States. Money should have been sorted by the receivers. I hope that the States are ready to compensate all that are made redundant in the coming weeks/months otherwise this whole thing is unfair. Will the compensation be adjusted accordingly for any workers that get back to work in the immediate future?? I doubt it.
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What a surprise, well think i might go to the states when i get made reduntant, plus im a single mum do you think i will get some i doubt it from previous experince!
Well done states you just keep spending our hard earned money on things that are of no use to any of us!
Oh and thinking about it how any of the woolies staff have already found new jobs so they are earning and getting tax payers money!
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What I read this, I actually got angry…it is not the States responsibility, as the current laws stand, to give out redundancy payments. I can just see others who have fallen recently (and in the future – eg Poundworld) going to the States with cap in hand, getting nothing then getting lawyers on the case.
Disgusting. Should not have happened. Sorry Woolies workers, you needed to sort this out yourselves.
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Dont be such a pessimist (Biker) if the new redundancy law comes into practice than the States wont have to do this again anyway. Some of those workers in Woolworths have been there almost a life-time! not like poundworld were workers come and go all the time. People are always moaning that the States have no heart and yet when they show a bit of compassion people like yourself run them down. If its a one off and the law comes into practice than whats the big deal?
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This is great news – all Jersey people employed by UK companies can breath a sign of relief for if you are made redundant you will be compensated by the States!
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All those recently made redundant from UK companies based in Jersey – bring your placards to the Royal Square and get as many signatures of passers-by as you possibly can, then grab a States Member and lo and behold you will a fat cheque.
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Pink Panther
Enlighten me – I fail to see the difference between someone being made redundant after working at Woolies for 30 years or someone who has worked various employment for 30 years but happens to be made redundant in their latest job?
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This is absolutely ridiculous, everyone with a decent amount of intelligence and not just running on emotions can see how ludicrous this is, yet our elected ‘representatives’ cannot??
So we will shortly be seeing GST and income tax increased to pay for this fiasco and any other redundancies in the future. What about the staff made redundant due to the Broadlands fire? What about the Poundworld staff? This is a farcical decision and I am astonished that there are 34 such stupid people in the States.
Yes this is a good day for the Woolworths staff, although perhaps instead of campaigning for 6 weeks they should have gone job-hunting instead. But this is a very bad day for Jersey.
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Any UK locally based employer worth its salt would do the decent thing, and have paid this notice pay. I was employed by a UK company based in Jersey and when they closed their Jersey operation down they were most fair and paid redundancy according to UK legislation. The States are NOT paying redundancy here, but notice pay and may still be able to claw it back. Have a bit of compassion folks, and again let’s get proper legislation in place to bring Jersey into this era regarding employment law.
I do not know or have anything to do with anyone from Woolies by the way, but I do miss it. New Look – No!
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Don’t you think these woolworths staff paid tax?? They had over 600 years service so I would think they paid a fair amount of tax to their island! Also it is not redundancy money, nor is it compensation, it is money owed to them for notice that should have been given to them. These staff were only officially told on their last day that they were being made redundant, they received no holiday pay that was owed to them nor did they receive any redundancy pay! As far as poundworld etc goes you can bet they know when they are finishing up, also this will probably be the case with barrets. If deloittes were smart they would have given all staff their notice in October. If you people are quite prepared to let £1m leave the island when there is £650k owed to local people (including suppliers) then you should think about your comments a bit more!
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did any one read the story…they give the money but (please read this part) they claim the money back so it aint costing states anything good on the woolies staff yet again
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Good point (Jo) what a horrible way to be treated and why should they go without the money that is owed to them. At the end of the day the States have a good chance of getting that money back dont they and also what the Woolworths staff receive from the States is not going to be their redundancy pay which they may never receive although of course I hope they do in the end. I am happy for the Woolworths staff and at least it bides them a bit of time to find work elsewhere especially after xmas this whole scenario must of been a nightmare for them and also their families. I prefer to see our tax money being used to help our islanders out in cisis than for more useless roadworks and incredibly useless tourist attractions!
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It’s money owed to them, yes. But it’s not the States that owe them, nor anyone who pays into the States ie the taxpayer. If some one owes you money, do you ask the government to bail you out and see if they can get the money back? No. At the end of the day, it should be Woolies and their receivers that needed to pay out, not our government.
We don’t have redundancy pay here – maybe we should; but that’ll raise taxes even more – and I know people complain about that as it is!
We are free to comment how we choose – Jo – and JG – and this has brought up deep feelings by several.
As a matter of interest, the petition was, what, 10,000 long – that’s not even 15% of our population – so how can the states qualify their actions when the vast majority of the public, for whom they work, hasn’t said a thing?
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Firstly the employees had notice – loads of it and they had plenty of time to find alternative employement.
As for the amount of tax they paid? It’s nothing compared to what the rest of us pay – i mean how much would the staff in woolies get paid a month? anywhere between 800-1300 im guessing so that’s what 70 quid – 120 quid tax? I work hard and pay well over £235 a month tax but when i was made redundant i was given notice so i worked through it and got my normal salary instead of getting money for notice (same as woolworths staff i believe) AND it’s not like they need loads of qualifications behind them to do their job…
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Jo
they paid their tax and probably consumed far more in public services. What has all this got to do with redundancy?
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The Viscount’s department have put a hold on the Woolies property over here so the administrators can’t take the funds out of the Island. This means most of the money will be paid back to the States. What we need now is a change in the law so that this never happens again and the same rule applies when a company goes into receivership as it does for En Desastre proceedings ie the staff get paid first. This will not cost the workers or taxpayers anything.
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Some of you people amaze me!
This is not redundancy payment but the legally required notice period which the states neglected to enforce at the time. If they had made Woolworths Jersey pay this at the time they would not have to now. Woolworths Jersey was a separate legal entity to the company in administration in the UK so the states of Jersey, through the viscount do have the power to seize Woolworths Jersey LTD assets (money held in accounts, lease of the building etc) which is how they can reclaim the money paid out.
This does not set a precedent as other companies in this situation have been made to pay their workers as per Jersey law. In the light of this payout i’m sure it won’t be overlooked as it was with Woolworths again.
Also those who criticise the size of the petition, maybe a counter petition should have been started by you to get a fair gauge of public opinion on the matter. After all we do live in a democracy.
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Well said Joe I totally agree!! You hit the nail on the head – it was a legal requirement. These people should have been protected by the law, Jersey Law states that statutory notice must be given. How else were these people supposed to react apart from go to their local deputies for help, isn’t that what they are there for and why we vote them in? People should see that deloittes broke the law and all the staff have done is ask the states to enforce this by making them pay the money due to the Woolworths staff, the states will recoup this money and no-one will be any worse off. As for Lula’s comment these staff WERE NOT given notice, also this is not a website to insult anybody and I think your comments about how much tax they paid and qualifications to do ther job is narrow minded if not a little ignorant!
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this 139,500 pounds is this before their ITIS or Social secutiy is paid?
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For once, the States has done something honourable.
After the millions they have raked in from Woolworths over the years.
This action is justified.
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If they get the money back from the administrators then so be it. But this sounds to me like a bit of a gamble. I presume they are confident that this money will be replenished but if it isn’t then the tax payer will not be happy about it at all. How many sales from GST will they need to replace this money? Nearly GBP5 Million?
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Ali – redundancy pay is the responsibilty of the employer, so how this would affect any taxes paid by you or me I fail to understand. And again, what seems to still be lost in the drift of all this is that this was not redundancy pay, but notice pay – something completely different.
Regarding the petition, 10,000 people may be a small proportion of the population, but large enough to show that the ordinary ‘man in the street’ cared. I doubt if any 11k residents, children, housebound, elderly or our esteemed finance sector employees were able or cared enough to make the effort to sign, so they did quite well, and it showed that some people cared.
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Does this mean that I can claim some money from the states when I lost my job with only 4 days notice??
I mean if its good for one its good for everyone…
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Yes Mona it does mean that you can claim your money, but probably not through the states unless your previous employer has gone into administration like Woolworths did. It also depends on your length of service, what you fail to realise is that these former Woolworths employees only got what was due to them under the Jersey Employment Law 2003. If you had over 2 years service and your company only gave you four days notice you could have claimed through JACS. Basically if your company broke the law you would have been entitled to it as these ex Woolworths staff are!!
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They weren’t given notice? So all of the news reports was not notice enough?
And yes – I worked hard at school to achieve good grades so I could get a good job – and i get taxed a lot more than those working at woolworths – and i don’t like the idea that my tax money is being spent on the staff at woolworths who shoulda got another job rather than my money being spent on hospitals or public work that matters to the whole island not just a few
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Great news for Woolworths staff but states did not legally have to and if law have no claim to money back from Woolworths administrators.They need to follow up with a new law on redundancy to bring the island in line with other countries.Lets hope this is not just a crowd pleaser or more tax payers money will be wasted.
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I can’t believe it!! Let’s all try to fleece some money out of the States!!!!!
Yes, it’s a shame that the Woolies staff were made redundant, but why should we foot the bill?? What next??
Frank must be laughing his socks off!!!!
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I admit that I haven’t read all the comments so apologise in advance if this is answered elsewhere?
When news of the impending redundancies were given did none of the staff read their contracts and take advice from JACS or similar?
If they had had a “sit in” before all the stock was sold off the result would have been a lot more favourable to all, and a lot quicker!
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Lula – Did they teach you to be so patronising at school? Obviously you’re upset that the ‘minions’ at Woolworths got the payment that they were legally entitled to but is there really any need to be so vicious?
Take a moment to consider how many people work in jobs that you clearly consider below you – and how you’d get on without them. Who would pour your Friday night cocktails? Where would you buy your power suits? You might even have to fill the 4×4 I assume you drive yourself! How dare you insinuate that because someone pays less tax than you they shouldn’t receive the same assistance, in any circumstance.
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Its just a waste of GBP140,000.00.
The States will never get this money back and you can thank the JDA for that.
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!!
Point is No one has received that kind of assistance.
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The point i was making it that we get no assistance if we are made redundant – the payment was made in lieu of notice that they already had worked through!!
And no I don’t wear power suits i shop at charity shops or Primark- i drive a 125cc motorbike only when i have to as its fuel efficient and better for the polution levels if i walk everywhere and i don’t drink! Even though I pay 20% tax i hardly have enough money to keep up with the rent i pay! Why? Because unlike the staff at woolworths I don’t get handouts! Middle earners have to pay for the majority now!
My partner worked at the luggage shop and was given no notice at all! and where were the states then! He turned up to work and the owners weren’t there… then a week later they found out it had gone into liquidation!
Why don’t you learn to read first before you get angry with me? I’m not being patronising – I’m just using a forum site (used for voicing opinions) to express my dissatisfaction with the states for making one rule for woolworths and another rule for everyone else…
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