Butlin’s staff fear they’ll have to take unpaid leave when furlough ends
Staff employed by Butlin’s fear they will be asked to take unpaid leave after the government-backed furlough scheme ends next month.
The BBC has seen a document sent to staff, which suggests employees either take paid holiday if they have any remaining or unpaid leave if not.
There are 1,000 workers who have been furloughed by the company because of the pandemic. Butlin’s said it has not yet made a decision about workers on the scheme.
The holiday park operator is currently operating at 50% capacity and is heading into the winter months when income falls significantly.
The company said: "Since we reopened Butlin’s we’ve worked hard to bring back as many of our team as possible whilst ensuring we’re safe and secure.
"There has been no decision made regarding our team who are still furloughed."
Butlin’s, owned by Bourne Leisure Group, has 6,000 employees in total. Bourne Leisure Group which also operates Haven caravan sites and Warner Leisure Hotels with a total workforce of 15,000.
Before the government’s Job Retention Scheme was announced, Bourne Leisure warned that 10,000 jobs would be at risk without government help.
It has since secured hundreds of millions of pounds in government support in the form of loans, furlough payments and deferred VAT and business rates since the pandemic struck.
A staff member told the BBC "I can’t believe a great British holiday brand, owned by muliti-millionaires wants staff to take unpaid leave after furlough".
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is winding down and will be withdrawn on 31 October, unless the government decides to extend it.
Butlins issued a statement to TravelMole saying: "Our aim is to get all of our team back to work as soon as we can.
"We are working closely with UK Hospitality and the government to understand the implications of these constantly changing national circumstances, and as a result, we have made no decisions regarding the end of the furlough scheme".
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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