Fans outraged at decision to make five Everton megastore staff redundant
6 Feb 2014 17:05
Workers at Everton One shop were told they were not needed at end of January
Outraged fans have criticised a decision to make up to five staff at Everton’s Goodison Park megastore redundant.
Workers at the Everton One shop were told they were not needed at the end of January, after bosses decided it was overstaffed during quiet weekdays.
Supporters’ group The Blue Union said one loyal member of staff who had been there for 18 years was facing redundancy after the announcement by Kitbag, who manage the outsourced merchandise store.
The firm has insisted staff will be offered positions elsewhere in the company, but the fans’ group told the ECHO the staff affected had told them this was not the case.
Simon Magner, secretary of The Blue Union, said: “We have spoken to employees and family members regarding this, and they have said that they face outright redundancy.”
He said some of the people losing their jobs were well-known faces at Goodison Park, and added: “They’re people that have been part of Everton Football Club for the best part of 20 years.”
A small demonstration outside the club shop took place last weekend with angry supporters showing their support for staff facing the axe.
And Mr Magner said some feared the only way they could continue working at the shop and carry on being part of the club was through zero-hour contracts on match days.
He added: “This is a prime example of some of the issues that come across when you outsource. If it was owned and run by the club then this wouldn’t be happening.”
A spokesperson for Kitbag said: “Regrettably there is a small number of permanent staff who are being made redundant from the Goodison Park store.
“This decision reflects the lower level of customer footfall on non-match days and the need to have more staff working on match days, when footfall is higher. We are looking to reallocate those staff members affected wherever possible.”
The club has not run the shop since it was outsourced first to JJB in 2006, before Kitbag took over the operation in 2009 – the same year it launched the Everton Two store at the Liverpool One shopping centre.
