On Thursday 5th November, Sainsbury’s announced that it is expected to slash 3,500 jobs with the closure of 420 Argos outlets. The 420 standalone Argos stores will close by March 2024, although Sainsbury's said it would open 150 Argos outlets in its supermarkets. And it has emerged that the supermarket will be closing its Warren Street branch in Stockport.
Stockport MP Navendu Mishra has now written to Sainsbury’s CEO to reconsider plans to close the Stockport superstore, which would result in dozens of job losses. He has labelled the closure of the store “unacceptable” emphasising that they have “pocketed millions of pounds of taxpayers' money” and shelled out £231m in dividends to their shareholders.
Expressing his disappointment in his letter, he wrote, “It is disappointing that Sainsbury’s has taken the decision to close its Warren Street branch. In addition to impacting the thousands of people who shop there, as many as 87 people are now facing redundancy. I have been in direct contact with Sainsbury’s head office to raise my concerns and will continue to press them on this issue to ensure there is a more positive outcome. I have also sought answers as to why their Grand Central branch has been closed for months and whether there is a possibility that it might be able to reopen.
“It is vital that workplace representatives including Unite the Union are engaged with, staff are fully consulted throughout this process and, where possible, redeployed to other stores.
“In the middle of the worst recession in our history and an ongoing pandemic this is an incredibly challenging period for anyone facing redundancy and I urge Sainsbury’s to do all they can to safeguard as many jobs as possible.”
