Anne Marie says the union's claims meetings are the first of their kind

The Newsletter for the National Distribution Union campaign at The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery. Check out our campaign website at www.warehouseworker.org.nz

In this issue:
* It's our first real change to have a say - the NDU has started the bargaining process with claims meetings around the country
* Xmas rights for Nightfill workers

The National Distribution Union representing workers at The Warehouse fears for the future of staff after the retailer decided to discontinue its supermarket arm, opening up the company to the possibility of a takeover.

The Warehouse says its fresh food and grocery operation, branded Warehouse Extra has failed to result in an increase in sales of clothing and general merchandise as was expected. It will be dismantled within six months.

The glittering prize of 85 prime retail sites from Kaitiaia to Invercargill could be up for grabs again now that The Warehouse Group has abandoned its foray into fresh food and groceries.

The retailer's share price rose 40 cents to $3.49 on the announcement yesterday that it was pulling the plug on its three Extra stores in Whangarei, Auckland and Hamilton.

The Warehouse estimated exit and restructuring costs at $10 million to $12 million pre-tax, including asset writedowns of up to $5 million.

It expected an annualised pre-tax improvement in trading earnings of about $9 million.

Members of the Warehouse People Union have been sent a letter by the WPU this week asking you to sign and return an attached form to them before 10 September.

We advise you not to sign or return the form. We have taken urgent legal advice on the content of the letter and the form itself.

Over 1000 Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery employees have joined the NDU and we are now taking the first steps towards the negotiation of new collective agreements.

Signing the form attached to the WPU letter may prevent you and your workmates from being covered by a new NDU collective agreement.

■ NIGHTFILL: Karen Nhea, Mariu Taha and Tina Minhinnick want a liveable wage and a nightfill allowance

After just SIX weeks of an NDU membership drive at The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery more than 1200 workers joined the NDU.

Among the new Warehouse members who have signed up are Tina Minhinnick, Karen Nhea and Mariu Taha who work nightfill at The Warehouse Pukekohe.

The Newsletter for the National Distribution Union campaign at The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery. Check out our campaign website at www.warehouseworker.org.nz

In this issue:
* Project Invigorate - An update on Project Invigorate at The Warehouse
* Union Co-operation needed
* Are you on the right pay rate? - The union is sending out a survey

Bargain hunters came calling to The Warehouse yesterday in anticipation of a speedy resurrection in takeover activity after hints that the Extra format could be dropped.

The share price climbed as much as 4.4 per cent - despite a 21 per cent fall in full-year earnings - after chief executive Ian Morrice said the company was reviewing the Extra strategy after a tailing-off in its vaunted "halo effect" in the second half of the year.

Foodstuffs is not going to follow Woolworths to the Supreme Court to seek clearance to buy The Warehouse Group.

Foodstuffs’ decision to sit out the Supreme Court petition has reignited talk of a Stephen Tindall, Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) and Foodstuffs (or any combination of the above) joint purchase, in line with what was proposed in mid-2007.

At the time, PEP and Tindall proposed an $878 million dollar plan to buy the remaining 49 per cent of the company, and take it private. Foodstuffs was later rumoured to be working with PEP at the time.