UK Jobs fears as DHL parcel depot is scaled down
Dhl wants to downsize its hub in Loughborough and transfer jobs to other sites from October 10.
The company says the planned restructuring is likely to affect 94 of the 214 employees at the hub, either through relocation or redundancies.
A 30-day consultation period with staff is currently under way.
A DHL spokesman said: “We have entered into consultation with employees over possible redundancies at the DHL hub, in Belton Road West, in Loughborough. It is anticipated that 94 employees will be affected by the planned restructuring.
“The main hub operation at Loughborough will be transferred to other DHL locations. This will mean that operations at Loughborough will be significantly scaled down.”
The Loughborough hub would be downgraded to a simple pick-up and delivery centre.
The firm is keen to streamline its operations after acquiring Securicor Distribution last year.
Union leaders are currently in negotiations with DHL management in a bid to minimise redundancies.
Ninety per cent of those under threat are members of the GMB union.
Richard Taylor, regional organiser, said: “We have had discussions about moving people to other DHL sites, such as Nottingham East Midlands Airport and Hams Hall, and reducing the number of agency workers and putting full-time people in their place.
“We’re hoping to get a positive result from these negotiations.”
Mr Taylor said morale had been affected by the announcement.
“Heads are down,” he said. “People are worried for the future.
“Many have been loyal to the company, some with 20 years’ service.”
However, business leaders believe their prospects of finding new jobs are good.
Max Boden, policy manager at Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Many DHL staff will have driving licences for large goods vehicles, which gives them an advantage, because there is a shortage of those drivers.
“As well as that, the parcel business is a fairly IT orientated industry, so that in itself would make it fairly easy to transfer into other jobs.
“The situation is unfortunate, but their prospects of being re-employed are good.”
Latest figures show that around 770 people are out of work in Loughborough – about two per cent of the workforce.
