Staff at kebab shop claim they have been told to 'find alternative work' as restaurant shuts for essential repairs
18.08.2023 - 18:13
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Staff at a Greater Manchester branch of a popular kebab chain restaurant claim they were informed their store was closing ‘without warning’ due to essential repair work which will now leave them without work for a month.
Employees at German Doner Kebab's store on Market Street in Oldham claim they were told via a WhatsApp message on July 31 that the restaurant would need to be closed for six days from August 2 to 7 for ‘extensive repair work’.
However, on August 6, staff said they were then informed by management that the scope of work needed would lead the store to being closed for ‘approximately 4-6 weeks’. At the time, staff alleged they were not informed what that meant for their jobs in the meantime.
Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.
They claim that they were told by a manager on WhatsApp that 'if you must find alternative work then please do' without an indication of when the restaurant would be able to reopen.
A message sent to employers on WhatsApp, and seen by the Manchester Evening News, said: "We appreciate you will have financial commitments which will be impacted and therefore urge you to do what you think is best for you. If you must find alternative work then please do so. If you need to claim UC then please do so."
German Doner Kebab said there has been a ‘regular and transparent dialogue’ with staff during the period of work.
Work is now set to get underway at the restaurant on Monday (August 21) and is hoped to be complete within a week. But staff told the M.E.N the prolonged period of repair work has left them financially struggling.
One staff member said they had been left 'shocked and devastated' by the handling of the situation. “In