'Devastated and worried sick doesn't even come close', shock and anger as City Link staff face redundancy

Workers at the Wednesbury depot in Leabrook Road North say they were told all 56 members of staff will lose their jobs following a meeting with bosses yesterday.

Jayne Thompson, of Stourbridge has been with the firm for 17 years. She said: "Basically, they have told us what we already know. They have told us to go and never come back.

"The way they have done it I think is disgusting for everybody. It is not only the people that work here, it is the families and the people associated with City Link. I am sure they knew about the problems three months ago and could have warned us."

She said she was not sure how much redundancy pay she would be receiving, adding she believed it would be three weeks, but hoped to get the statutory maximum of 12 weeks.

Sub-contractors who provide drivers for the courier firm also met with bosses at the site and say they were warned there were no guarantees they would be paid – with some claiming the collapse could force them out of business.

Steve Brooms, said he has 33 drivers working for City Link and is dependant on nearly £70,000 which he says he is owed by the firm.

He said: "It is going to put me out of business if I don't get that money.

"I was on holiday with the family in Cardiff when I happened to hear on the news that City Link was going into administration. I think everybody was in shock because nobody saw it coming.

"A lot of people here are going to lose their jobs, their livelihoods, it is not a joke."

Sub-contractor Mike Battison said he has seven drivers working for City Link.

He said he doesn't know if he will be able to keep them on until he finds out whether he will be paid.

He said: "If I am not paid what I am owed then I could end up having to lay drivers off.

"I can't plan to do work unless I know what is being paid and when it is going to be paid."

Paul Vinnicombe, another sub-contractor, said he has 18 drivers working for City Link, adding: "It totally affects our company because everything is based on the cash coming in. To receive this news was a bit of a shock, especially on Christmas Day."

A member of staff at the Stone depot on Stone Business Park in Opal Way, where 40 jobs are due to go, added: "It is terrible. It is disgusting really that it has happened at Christmas of all times."

Meanwhile, relatives of City Link staff have contacted the Express and Star via Facebook to express their concern about events.

Dorrie Farrow said she also had been affected by the firm's administration, saying: "Yes, unfortunately! Devastated and worried sick doesn't even come close."

All the West Midlands depots were still open for parcel collections and other services during the normal hours of 8am-8pm yesterday, though the City Link customer service team was advising customers with parcels to collect them as soon as possible from the depot.

In total more than 600 West Midlands workers are expected to lose their jobs, including the employees in Wednesbury and Stone and 70 staff based in Jameson Road, Birmingham.

There are 404 jobs at risk at the firm's Coventry headquarters, and another 38 in Shrewsbury.

A statement from administrators Ernst and Young said employees at City Link sites had been informed of the potential for "significant redundancies" during meetings yesterday.

The statement said: "While no redundancies have been made today, the joint administrators believe that the company will unfortunately have to make substantial redundancies, which will take effect on December 31, 2014, as a result of the company being unable to continue trading and accept further parcels. The company employs 2,727 people.

"Employees that are affected by redundancy will be offered appropriate advice and support in making claims for redundancy and notice pay.

"Employees that are not immediately affected by redundancies will continue to be employed, and paid, to help return the estimated 40,000 parcels remaining in City Link's depots to customers and intended recipients, as well as assist in realising the company's assets and winding down its operations.

"The Joint Administrators will confirm the number of redundancies across City Link Limited's sites when all employees have been informed over the coming days."

Across the country, workers are being made redundant at 57 depots, though a small number of staff are expected to be retained to help the business wind down.

It was revealed on Christmas Day that City Link was going into administration after years of 'substantial losses', sparking an angry reaction from workers and customers.

Officials met in Leeds to discuss the fate of the firm's staff and union bosses vowed to stay in talks in a bid to salvage jobs.

Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: "It is crystal clear from our meeting that there has been a truly horrific catalogue of mismanagement at City Link and that staff and their union have been starved of basic information."