The restructuring events database contains factsheets with data on large-scale restructuring events reported in the principal national media and company websites in each EU Member State. This database was created in 2002.
Birmingham, London, Newbury, Swindon, Tamworth and Watford
Sector
Retail Retail Trade, Except Of Motor Vehicles And Motorcycles Retail Sale In Non-Specialised Stores 47.19 - Other retail sale in non-specialised stores
1,300 jobs Number of planned job losses
Announcement Date
9 July 2020
Employment effect (start)
Foreseen end date
Description
John Lewis Partnership, the British retailer has announced it will permanently close eight John Lewis stores, making 1,300 employees redundant. The consultation process with affected staff has already started. The stores which will be closed are located in: Birmingham, London (3 stores), Newbury, Swindon, Tamworth and Watford.
A statement by the company said the stores had already struggled financially before the COVID-19 crisis started in March 2020 and the closures are part of the business's strategic review.
According to the company, some initiatives are going to be taken to support the affected workers. Among them, a three-month programme involving an outplacement specialist for all the staff laid off. In addition, the workers with two years of service or more will benefit of a contribution for a qualification course, while a redundancy pay package will be provided to those that worked for John Lewis Partnership for at least one year.
The John Lewis Partnership operates John Lewis & Partners department stores, Waitrose & Partners supermarkets, banking and financial services, and other retail-related activities. It employs about 84,000 people.
Eurofound (2020), John Lewis Partnership, Internal restructuring in United Kingdom, factsheet number 101417, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/101417.
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
The retail banking sector is fertile ground for studying the impacts of digitalisation on work and employment. Financial services are increasingly provided online, without the intermediary of customer-facing institutions.
European labour markets have recovered strongly from COVID-19. By the end of 2021, little more than 18 months after the start of the pandemic, employment rates in the EU were almost at pre-crisis levels.
