Staff hit by restructure

A sudden and sweeping restructure at the Clubs of Marlborough has more than 50 staff forced to reapply for their jobs or accept redundancy.

Workers say they are shocked and stressed after being told of the impending restructure at a meeting at the Clubs in central Blenheim yesterday morning. They have until Friday to reapply for their jobs.

The not-for-profit first-floor complex has been closed since alert level four lockdown started in March, with members sent a letter last month confirming the Clubs did not consider it financially viable to reopen under alert level two restrictions, and a restructuring of the business was underway.

Staff told Stuff after the meeting they knew the Clubs had been struggling financially, but with little direct communication from the executive committee since lockdown started, the news had come as a shock.

Executive committee members declined to answer questions when approached by Stuff yesterday, saying it was ‘‘a matter for members’’ and there would be no public statement.

Committee members also told staff not to talk to the media, several workers told Stuff.

One woman said she was unlikely to reapply for her job as her position was going to be changed to evening hours and there was ‘‘no way’’ she could care for her children and work evenings. ‘‘I might have to go on the dole. I don’t want to . . . but I might not have a choice. It will be a hard time to find work in Blenheim at the moment.’’

She had yet to read the paperwork, but said the committee members leading the meeting had not really explained the reasons for the restructuring. She was unsure how many jobs would remain after the process, but said ‘‘almost all’’ of the existing employees were affected.

‘‘After working there for years, and they basically go and fire us . . . I really didn’t see this coming. We haven’t had much information at all, everyone else knows what’s happening before us. The members know more than we do. It just shows a lack of loyalty to their staff.’’

Workers discussed the meeting over coffees at Biddy Kate’s Irish Bar across the road. Some were already considering alternate career paths, others saying their goodbyes and promising to stay in touch.

Several employees had been working at the Clubs for over a decade.

‘‘We’ve given our lives to that place,’’ one woman said.