Furlough pay for DHL staff at Jaguar set to end

SCORES of DHL workers on the firm’s contract with Jaguar Land Rover have been informed their furlough pay will end this month.

Employees have been told to hand back their site passes, keys and uniform with no return to work date set, it is understood.

Staff said up to 60 workers, based at Hams Hall Distribution Park in Coleshill, Birmingham, received the devastating news by email last week under “unprecedented circumstances that has led to uncertain and anxious times”.

DHL workers were reportedly told of the furlough decision by workforce supplier jobs agency Rapier Employment.

The latest setback comes after the Unite union revealed 2,200 DHL supply chain workers used by the car giant at sites including Solihull and Castle Bromwich were put at risk of losing their jobs. The Unite union said it was a “massive, bitter blow for a dedicated workforce”.

One DHL worker, who asked not to be named, said: “This is devastating and hard to take. It doesn’t sound good at all regarding the return of passes and uniform.”

It is understood Rapier told workers that they would cease to operate the furlough scheme on July 31 with the last payment made the following week.

It said they were trying to “facilitate as many work assignments for our flexible workforce as possible over the coming weeks.”

But they conceded that there is no firm date that DHL can give them on any return to work and it was DHL who reportedly sought to arrange the return of company property.

But Rapier told staff that DHL decided to pay holiday leave during their time on furlough. However, it advised workers to bring back any kit to the Rapier office before the last payment is made or to contact their supervisor or shift manager.

DHL has said it has had to restructure its linefeed and freight operations supporting the Jaguar Land Rover contract due to “the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus pandemic”.