Dorlux accused of scaremongering by trade union as bed firm warns it may collapse again

3rd July 2009 | beds | More than 100 workers at Dorlux Beds (UK) were threatened with dismissal in the run up to an Employment Tribunal that went on to award them 13 weeks’ pay for the company’s failure to inform them of a change in management.

A Furnishing Report story late last year reported the sale of Dorlux Beds (UK) to Kozeesleep (Midlands) on the same day the firm had gone into administration.

Administrator Leonard Curtis has now revealed the sale was to Kozeesleep Products – a non-trading company that shares the same directors as Kozeesleep (Midlands). The sale price was £150,000.

At the time of the pre-pack administration, Dorlux management wrote to stockists saying the firm had secured new investment and was planning to ‘build on its recent successes.’

That letter, seen by the Furnishing Report, has now been followed up with another, this time sent to employees and seen by a local newspaper in the Yorkshire area.

The Batley News yesterday reported on a dispute between the company and the GMB trade union, which claimed the employees were being victimised and hadn’t been made aware of the management handover – a legal obligation.

The paper has a Dorlux headed letter sent to employees saying the company was working ‘extremely hard’ behind the scenes to secure the factory’s future amid difficult trading conditions.

It goes on to say, ‘It is with great sadness, therefore, that we are forced to notify you that all of your positions are, as a result of this continued action by the GMB, at risk of redundancy.’

It finishes off with, ‘any continued action by the GMB union will cause the business to collapse, with the inevitable loss of all your jobs.’