Argos workers facing relocation

Catalogue giant Argos has announced that it is to relocate staff from its site near Stafford over the next few months.

The Argos Direct Delivery Only (ADDO) supply team will be moved from Acton Gate to the Avebury office in Milton Keynes.

The news comes as Argos' parent company, Home Retail Group, yesterday warned of failing sales as its customers struggle to make ends meet.

However, Argos says the move is not connected with tough trading conditions and instead, is intended to allow the supply team to work more closely with their counterparts in Milton Keynes.

The firm also says it will relocate as many employees affected by the move as possible and redeploy those unable to make the move elsewhere in the business.

The Acton Gate site, which incorporates both an Argos Direct distribution centre and a call centre, employs around 1,000 people but the catalogue giant says the ADDO makes up a relatively small number of employees.

Workers in the team source and buy products for sale through Argos' home delivery services.

The firm says that the decision was made in December and the staff will be moved between May and August.

A statement from Argos said: "The relocation will allow the team to work more closely with their commercial supply and trading colleagues, ensuring that they are an integral part of our delivery operations and allowing us to continue to build a broad, responsive delivery proposition for our customers.

"A significant number of employees have chosen to exercise the option to relocate. There is a continuing period of collective consultation, followed by individual consultation, with the proposed moves phased between May 2008 and August 2008. We have already redeployed a number of staff within the Widnes operation and are continuing to work with the reminder to find alternative roles."