NEARLY 80 jobs at the travel company Thomas Cook are under threat because of a planned restructuring of its business, announced yesterday.
Management has proposed shutting the company’s three Dublin stores, two Thomas Cook branches and a Direct Holidays outlet.
A spokesman for Thomas Cook blamed a change in customers’ buying habits for the move.
“Over the past few years Thomas Cook and the Irish travel market have changed dramatically, as have our customers’ buying habits and booking trends,” he said. “In light of this, we have reviewed our operations and the services we provide to ensure we continue to meet the changing needs of the business and our customers.”
The company employs 176 staff in the Republic. It says that under its proposals, 46 staff would be affected at the Thomas Cook stores, 15 at Direct Holidays and 16 through the tour restructuring.
A 30-day consultation period with staff begins next week and Thomas Cook said the priority was to keep as many staff as possible.
Thomas Cook insisted it would maintain its Irish business at its back office and call centre operation in Parkwest, Dublin, with 70 positions being retained.
The cuts will not affect operations in Northern Ireland.
Gerry Doherty, secretary general, Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association, claimed the firm was sacrificing Irish workers to keep other businesses afloat. “This is a betrayal of the Irish workforce and the Irish tourist industry.”