Date: 16 January 2006

North East hit by electricity stores closures

Scottish and Southern Electricity have shocked retail employees in North East Scotland today (16 January) by announcing that four of their shops will close by the end of February.

Shop staff were told at a meeting in Stonehaven today, that shops at Mastrick, Fraserburgh, Lochee and Broughty Ferry will close and stores in Union Street Aberdeen and Whitehall, Dundee will be reduced in size.

Nearly 40 staff will be affected with Head of Retail Steve Adamson confirming around 20 jobs will go with many others severely affected.

UNISON Branch Secretary Sheila Carcary said 'Many staff have been with Scottish Hydro for over 20 years and were obviously very upset at the news. UNISONs priority will be to maintain as many jobs as possible for our members but this is a huge loss both for individual staff and for the areas they have served for all those years.'

John Fair Regional Officer explained 'Individual interviews with staff will commence tomorrow and more details will become available as these progress but the company are indicating an expected loss of twenty jobs and its hard to see how compulsory redundancies can be avoided. However we will continue to work with the company in trying to minimise the numbers concerned.'

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For Further Information Please Contact: Sheila Carcary (Branch Secretary) 01738 453081 Pat Flynn (Retail Lead Steward) 0845 6090022 John Fair (Regional Officer) 0771 892 9023

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