Jewellery chain Michael Hill closes stores indefinitely, Woolworths stands down workers
Another company has announced it will stand down thousands of jobs across its pubs and pokies business. It comes as jewellery chain Michael Hill revealed it will close its 167 Australian stores indefinitely.
Business
Don't miss out on the headlines from Business. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The jobs fallout for the coronavirus shutdown continues to rapidly mount as Woolworths and Michael Hill International stand down more than 9000 workers.
Woolworths has announced it will stand down about 8000 workers employed in its pubs and pokies business.
The decision follows pubs being ordered to close as part of government shutdowns aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus.
Woolworths operates 323 pubs.
Impacted workers have been stood down on personal leave and, where no personal leave exists, they will be given two weeks of personal leave pay.
The supermarket giant has also moved to redeploy 2650 workers into other parts of its operations.
As well as its supermarkets business, Woolworths owns Dan Murphy’s, BWS, Cellarmasters and discount department store Big W.
The retail giant said 650 workers have been offered roles in other parts of the group and another 2000 would be offered roles in the next 24 hours.
“What we are very focused on right now is making sure that the 8000 team members in the venue or pub part… are given opportunities to work in other parts of Endeavour or Woolworths group,” Woolworths chief Brad Banducci said.
“We are well advanced on that.”
Meanwhile, jeweller Michael Hill will close all of its stores and stand down its workers, becoming the first major retail chain to shut down its bricks and mortar network amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The listed jeweller operates 167 stores in Australia and another 138 in New Zealand and Canada, employing about 2500 workers.
It employs 1300 retail workers in Australia, who will now be stood down.
It is also reviewing the 300 jobs it has at its Australian headquarters.
The closure of its stores will last for an “indefinite period”, the company said.
It had already shut its network in Canada but its Australian and New Zealand stores had remained open.
The jeweller will continue to sell online.
Staff stood down will be able to access their annual leave, otherwise they will be stood down with no pay and directed to access government support measures.
“The board and management team have acted swiftly today following the extraordinary circumstances that are impacting the Australian and New Zealand retail markets,” chair Emma Hill said.
“Whilst it is clear that the suspension of our store networks is necessary for the safety and wellbeing of our people and our customers, we know also that this will be a time of great uncertainty for them too and we are doing our best to provide them with the support that they need through this difficult time.”
Michael Hill has also cancelled its dividend.
Fellow retailers Nick Scali and Baby Bunting announced on Monday that they will stop paying a dividend as they scramble to preserve cash.
On Monday travel agency Helloworld said it was sacking 275 workers and standing down another 1300 others as it reels from the coronavirus pandemic.
Qantas has stood down two-thirds of its workforce – some 20,000 employees – and asked them to take annual and long service leave, as well as leave with no pay.
In Mildura, the 100-year-old Sunraysia Daily has been forced to close, suspending all printing and standing staff down after being impacted by the outbreak.
Saturday’s paper would be the last edition indefinitely, and staff were told that operations are intended to resume.
All Elliott Newspaper Group mastheads are affected, including Sunraysia Life, Swan Hill’s The Guardian and the Gannawarra Times.