TEMPORARY contracts for about 40 workers at a new supermarket have ended.
Waitrose, in St Andrew’s Avenue, Colchester, took on the staff in September on temporary deals.
Bosses needed workers after their new store opened in a blaze of publicity and offered them contracts until just after Christmas.
Suzanne Cronin, Waitrose spokeswoman, said: “When we opened the shop, we employed about 40 staff on a temporary basis to help with the busy opening and festive period.
“It was made very clear to these staff the employment was on a temporary basis and when their finish date would be – firstly, when they were offered the job verbally; secondly, in their written offer letter, and thirdly, in their statement of employment – which is the type of contract we give to temporary staff.”
Although the temporary workers face rejoining the dole queue, Waitrose has provided Colchester with a major jobs boost.
More than 1,500 people applied for 280 jobs at the store when it opened and the chain’s arrival was credited with boosting the town’s performance in monthly jobless statistics.
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