Edgars gears up for job losses

Sowetan reports that the axe is about to fall on workers at Edgars.  Retail group Edcon last Thursday sent a circular to employees of Edgars telling them that the group's bottom line was under pressure and that the company had instituted steps to retrench staff.  Staff in Edcon's other subsidiaries, including Jet and Boardmans, will, for now, not be affected.  Edcon's Urin Ferdale said in the circular that over the last year the company had engaged in various initiatives valued at R61m to prevent job losses.  These included reduction in total travel and transport, communication expenses, rental and leasing charges.  He wrote that the job cut process will "result in a reduction of head count in the identified stores as per the approved staffing blueprints."  It is expected to last until 13 May.  Store managers and administration managers in all stores will survive the axe, as will "brand specialists, cellular sales and administration, cosmetics specialists, visual staff, and drivers, among others - will not be affected."  All other store-based staff will be affected, but numbers have not been confirmed..  The company has undertaken to consult with the SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers' Union (Saccawu) through a facilitated process at the CCMA.