UP to 80 staff face the axe following First
Choice’s decision to close a number of back-office functions
at its Weston-super-Mare office.
Staff were sent a letter on August 18 and a 90-day consultation
period is now in progress. The areas affected – finance
transactional processing and control, IT and payroll for the retail
division of mainstream holidays – will be merged with their
counterparts in Crawley and Manchester.
The letter, from IT director Peter Cudmore and finance director
Alex Smith, who are heading up First Choice’s £10
million cost-cutting programme, Project Eden, said: “This proposal
is based on the strategic aim of creating shared services for these
areas, in line with our principle of ‘one brand, one
company’ within the mainstream sector.”
The letter told staff it was a “difficult proposal” which “if
agreed, could potentially result in your position being made
redundant”.
Areas affected include financial accounts, tour operators’
payments, accounts payable, treasury, foreign exchange and
accounts, helpdesk, payroll, IT and building support functions.
A spokeswoman denied the shake-up was related to Project Eden,
but was part of an ongoing business review. “We constantly look at
the most cost-effective way for the business to operate.
We’re keen to retain as many staff as possible.”
Property, financial systems and human resources will stay in
Weston-super-Mare, but the office could move to a smaller building
once cutbacks are made.
Meanwhile Haven Europe has quashed rumours it is being bought by
First Choice. Haven Europe sales and marketing director Kate Locke
said: “There is no truth in this whatsoever.”