Former City Link staff turn to JMW

A MANCHESTER law firm with a track record of fighting for compensation  for sacked workers is looking at whether it  can take legal action on behalf of axed staff at failed parcel carrier City Link.

JMW has received inquiries from more than 100 former employees of the company that went into administration on Christmas Eve regarding a possible claim.

The company, which has previously pursued legal action against firms including JJB Sports, Farmright Group and last week won a case for 120 Lancashire call centre staff at staff Sitel UK Limited, said it believed early indications were that employees “may well recover several thousands of pounds” from such action.

Coventry-based City Link laid off 2,586 staff on New Year’s Eve, as its 51 depots, including Warrington and Trafford Park closed permanently.

JMW said it has been contacted by former employees who had been working at depots including those at Ashford, Basingstoke, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Glasgow, Lincoln, Preston, Manchester, Durham and Scunthorpe.

The firm said two ways that a group action might be brought were over claims for notice pay and accrued holiday, and claims that a collective bargaining group could be entitled to further compensation.

The company is urging other former City Link employees to get in touch to find out more about the possible case.

Employment partner Carl Moran, who specialises in group actions, said: “Our experience in similar group actions has been that as soon as we begin to receive enquiries from employees, the case quickly gathers momentum and we are able to drive the case forward by establishing a critical mass of employees wishing to join in with the claim.

“These cases can often be hard fought, but that is what we are here for, it is what we are good at, and we expect a successful outcome.”

City Link was owned by private equity firm Better Capital.