We've not been paid, claim Haldanes staff
THE 18 Wick-based staff laid off by troubled grocery chain Haldanes have not been paid for two weeks, it has emerged.
The store was one of a dozen throughout Scotland which closed yesterday (Tuesday) after the company went into administration.
Store manager Jennifer Oliphant claims staff have been treated very shabbily.
She said the firm had continued to operate over the past fortnight when management knew they would struggle both to meet the wage bill and afford new deliveries.
As a result, customers have been finding rows of near-empty aisles while workers have gone unpaid.
The staff are expecting to only get back pay, paid by the Government, dating from last Wednesday when the firm went into administration.
The first many knew something was amiss was when Haldanes’ website suddenly went offline.
Mrs Oliphant said yesterday: “This has been very badly handled. We knew something was wrong but the company has not been very forthcoming with us. The company is in administration but, as far as I know, no administrator has been appointed.”
Mrs Oliphant said she had not been given any advice about how to close down the store or what to do with the remaining stock.
She added: “They keep telling us we will get paid for the past two weeks but it looks like we’ll only be getting redundancy pay from the Government to cover the period from last Wednesday.
“I read in some papers that we’ll be paid all we’re due but that is not going to happen.”
Mrs Oliphant cannot understand why Haldanes did not opt to pull the plug a fortnight ago.
“Why did they not go into administration two weeks ago when they knew they could not meet their commitments?”
The Wick staff, who include a husband and wife, will find it difficult to get alternative full-time work, given the current sluggish job market.
Most are long-serving employees, including Mrs Oliphant who has worked at the site since Presto’s opened up in September 1986.
JobCentre Plus, Citizen’s Advice Bureau and Skills Development Scotland representatives yesterday met the staff at the store to discuss their future options.
The Riverside outlet was one of the former Somerfield stores Haldanes took over last year.
No-one from Haldanes was yesterday available at its headquarters in Grantham to respond to the criticism.
