UK trade union Usdaw will be using the 45-day consultation period to robustly examine the company’s business case for the closures.
The announcement follows a company review of its operational and administrative efficiencies and comes just 18 months after Wiseman agreed to a takeover by Müller.
National officer John Gorle said: “We’re shocked by this announcement and will be working closely with the company to look at all of the options short of compulsory redundancy.
“In the event of any depot closures, some distribution workers could have the option of transferring to the Aberdeen and Cambuslang depots, where more than 100 posts could be created.
“We’ll be busy during the next few weeks talking to our reps and members on site to go through the company’s plans and to consider the best way forward. These are uncertain times in the sector as companies reorganise their manufacturing and distribution networks, but Usdaw will be doing all it can to protect jobs and represent the workforce.”
“We have an excellent network of distribution depots which provide exceptional service,” said Carl Ravenhall, managing director at Müller Wiseman Dairies, “but we must adapt to changes in the requirements being made of us by customers, with larger volumes of milk increasingly being delivered to regional distribution centres instead of individual stores.
“We operate in a very competitive environment and it is important that our structure reflects the current and future needs of the business. It is right that we properly review our network, taking into account the views of our employees and their representatives.”
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