Job losses.

[Baker4life]

Every time we tried to recruit for a bakers position no one applied. In our store people always stayed clear of bakery. Would be great if every person who thought anyone could be a baker had a few weeks in there to give it a go. Would love to see how many would find it so easy as some say

[Bakersdozen]

Only a small bakery and going full bake off so yeah no full time jobs. Gutted

Ah ok mate, very sad to hear, and if I'm being honest very believable if going full bake off. Seen that a few in these stores have already been offered redundancy straight up (not sure if figures given)

Have you got many stores that you are willing to travel to That you potentially may be able to get in? I know two other stores near me that were struggling for bakers before the changes. So there is always opportunity in other stores if available.

Have many years service have you done again?

[Baker4life]

I can only speak for my store but it has taken years to gain a loyal customer base who travel far and wide just to buy our bread and that is no exaggeration. Many a time I have heard customers bypass other supermarkets who do bake off to come to our bakery for s fresh loaf. I'm still a little shocked at the reality of going bske off as I know how poor the products are. We have had the odd box of French sticks come in or crusty rolls and they are a complete joke compared to the real deal. Will never buy a bake off bread. Customers aren't idiots, they too will see the difference and jump ship elsewhere.

[Baker4life]

Nearly 20 years bud

[Baker4life]

Unless any bakers jobs near me up for grabs I can't see many options. When you have a mortgage and a family to support how can you be expected to go from full time baker to part time packer! Ideally want to stay in baking, it's my passion and really all I have ever done but family comes first and to be honest don't care what I do as long as it keeps a roof over my families heads, number 1 priority.

[Bakersdozen]

Unless any bakers jobs near me up for grabs I can't see many options. When you have a mortgage and a family to support how can you be expected to go from full time baker to part time packer! Ideally want to stay in baking, it's my passion and really all I have ever done but family comes first and to be honest don't care what I do as long as it keeps a roof over my families heads, number 1 priority.

Totally agree, with over 20 years that should be a nice amount, even more so if you are over 41,

I'm in the same boat I have kids, mortgage ect. Most of bakers I know are long serving in Tesco could get very expensive.

Absolutely spot on about bake off products especially the French, and that's not just us being picky bakers the quality is night and day difference and the LFL in the stores for these products will paint that picture for sure.

[Baker4life]

Nice to know someone on my wave length. To be fair most bakers would agree. If your a baker you all know what you do and it is skilled I don't care what anyone says. We were told the cut in bakers was because of customers buying more bagels and wraps and not traditional loafs. Well we struggle to keep up with bread and I know wraps get reduced everyday. Very rarely does bread get wasted because it also gets sliced and fail that gets chucked in bread pudding. I could have stomached it a bit more if the powers that be just were honest and said it's to save on wages. But no they have to make something else up. The more I talk about it the more I think you know what let them get on with it and get out while the wonga is on the table.

[Siwel123]

To be honest our store is a bit different, even if we slice the loaves the next day the majority get reduced, we reduce tons of batons every night etc while confec sells well. However this is just one store and so i do agree with you it seems management are just trying to think of any old excuse to cut staff

[NightAndDay]

You can also take credence in the fact that, similar to the deli counters layoffs, the reduction in service and variety of goods will result in the alienation of some of their customer base meaning more defectors to their competitors, this is short term gain for long term losses, Morrisons is hiring and with their partnership with a giant like Amazon (who can buy Tesco many times over) as well and Aldi and Lidl yet to max out real estate, there will be plenty of fish in the sea.

[blablabla]

Our store which is an extra, after 7.30 is a ghost shop. Cashiers sitting doing nothing. Most of our customers prefer to bypass humans and use self scan.
RHRP definitely needs to identify this

[mexicopete]

@blablabla I agree with you regarding amazon. they are in the process of building gigantic food wharehouse near to me and when it is completed I expect Tosco and all it's main competitors will take a major hit on their home delivery services. I have it on good authority that the people in the process of setting this place up are mainly ex high level Tosco employees have have been made redundant taking with them years of expertise and massive golden handshakes to boot.

[blablabla]

In Tesco today looking for whiteboard marker pens £10 . Exact same item £5. On amazon it’s a no brainier. Retail is changing in Tesco and our high streets. We are all in for a bumpy ride the more AI that comes our way the less chance we have of holding onto our jobs

[madness]

@blablabla I agree with you regarding amazon. they are in the process of building gigantic food wharehouse near to me and when it is completed I expect Tosco and all it's main competitors will take a major hit on their home delivery services. I have it on good authority that the people in the process of setting this place up are mainly ex high level Tosco employees have have been made redundant taking with them years of expertise and massive golden handshakes to boot.

Yes but the problem is all these haigh level tesco experts will taint a different company with all the micky mouse BS proceedures , logs, and paperwork they are used to.

[Baker4life]

Already got frozen bread come in on delivery over weekend ready for the change over to bake off. Honestly looks like dog shi#, small flat loafs of bread. Funny thing is if the bakers in my store produced the same quality of bread I've no doubt we would get pulled up on it and even taken in the office if it continues. But it's ok to put the same quality frozen bread out for the customer. Double standards comes to mind.

[Hammer10]

When it does start watch the customers go elsewhere for their bread and also their shopping there is a saying but I can’t remember I think it’s penny rich pound poor.I have had a few customers already asked me what’s happening and they said when it does happen they will shop elsewhere.

[yosemite2020]

Currently working in a non-scratch bakery and been notified of the changes a few weeks back. Very limited info from management, other than a threatening "You're not going anywhere" statement from the store manager. 19 years service with Tesco, full time on a flexible contract. What are my options as don't want to lose hours, don't really want to be jumping around depts as looks like the way it's going, just really want a redundancy payment and to leave.

Is this possible or am I stuck as I'm on a Flexi contract? Thanks for all the answers. 

[Monkeyman999]

If your non scratch bakery not really going to change ? Also flexi contract 19 hrs can’t imagine they would cut that amount of hrs

[yosemite2020]

They're looking to change start hours to 2 hours earlier and cut 2 staff to just one plus support from various GAs throughout the day. Currently on 36.5 hours Flexi contract. 19 Years service. Moral in store is at an all time low with managers spending their shifts in the canteen or local Greggs!

Like most here, just want answers to know future and prefer redundancy to just escape.

[lucgeo]

How long have you been on a flexi contract? Why and when was it changed? 36.5 hour flexi is unusual?

[yosemite2020]

It was changed three years ago when I returned to the store from another store. Previously was on full time contracts but at that stage they were no longer able to offer them but allowed me to keep the full time hours. It's the loss of hours, income plus the possibility of having to work on 3-4 depts just to keep my hours up. You can see why redundancy is a good option, it's just whether it will be offered as I'm Flexi.

[lucgeo]

Now it has always been my understanding that if you do the same hours / contract continuously for 2 years or more than it becomes your recognised shift pattern.
Also you haven't filled in an availability form in all this time, but do you have core hours and the hours made up to full time, or are your core hours 36.5?

[yosemite2020]

You're correct that the shift pattern I'm on is recognised. I completed my availability about 10 days ago for them but made sure to only put my current shift as the availability. My store manager asked why I had not put Sunday as this is a new rule that you are required to do this if you ever want overtime on this day. I didn't add it as I know they are making it all up as they go along.

It's things like this that make me trust the management less and less. We also have an issue where a couple of the union reps have not worked out what confidential means and chat freely to everyone about the bakery information. Starting to be concerned there is nobody in Tesco management that will give a straight answer.

[lucgeo]

Then you stick to what you've put...in your next 1-2-1 meeting, ask the manager (innocently) the reason why you're now required to put Sunday's on your availability forms, as you'd been advised ( don't say by who) that it is still voluntary? They will (or should) ask you who said you had to? Tell them who and what was said! This should be all written down in your notes...take that lying SM down before you go!

If the reps are talking about individuals, and what was said in meetings...phone your USDAW area office and make a complaint. If they are just talking about the bakery situation in general, then it's not really a breach of confidence.
You don't have to have a rep present, you can take another trusted colleague in, who has the same rights as a rep, as they are your chosen representative.

The SM we had, told us all categorically that there would be no redundancies, so be as flexible as possible...yea that didn't wash, 2 had matched hours, one took a drop, and the rest of us stuck to our contracted hours and got redundancy...didn't even get a goodbye, she hid in her office on our last day!

[yosemite2020]

Many thanks for this advice. I think it's a case of sit it out and see what happens for the meantime until the heat map arrives and they start to divide up the hours.

[Baker4life]

Does anyone know how long we are supposed to have from the first 121 meeting to the proposed change in bakery? How long is the consultation meant to be? Is there a minimum amount of time? Cheers