Bullivant jobs losses expected to run to 75

The number of redundancies at Bullivant is now known: 75 staff face the axe, which represents a tenth of its entire workforce.

Bullivant, a specialist groundwork contractor, is also reported to have announced that up to 40 of its drivers have been told that as part of a one-month trial, starting on 1 November, their weekly take-home pay will be slashed from £400 to £300.

Talk of job losses at Bullivant have rumbled on for months, with Contract Journal being told of the possibility of 150 employees being laid off as far back as June. That prospect was flattened by the group at the time.

However it did concede in the local newspaper that staff had been given a period of three days to appoint staff members to represent them in consultations over possible redundancies.

In an attempt to keep a tight lid on the leakage of developments, staff were told that they faced disciplinary action if they spoke to the press.

The redundancy developments represent a dramatic change of fortune for Bullivant as only weeks ago the company published its latest financial results showing a jump in pre-tax profit to £3.4m, well up on the previous figure of £2.3m.

Turnover (12 months to 28 October 2007) was 14% higher at £130m while and the highest-paid director enjoyed a take-home pay running to £762,000 which was gloriously higher than his previous earnings of £465,000.

The attempt to gag staff has back-fired as the Burton Mail’s website carries an insight into the latest developments on its website with lengthy contributions from an insider.

An employee told the paper that drivers had been prepared to accept the pay cut on condition that Bullivant safeguarded jobs, but this offer had been withdrawn as a result of the job loss development.

Bullivant director John Patch said: “It saddens me to report that early indications suggest we have no alternative than to potentially make up to 75 positions redundant.

“We will offer all employees the option of voluntary redundancy in an effort to make as few compulsory job losses as possible. This is one of the most challenging periods of our 38-year history.”