Service not affected says Cross Country

CROSS Country Carriers will exist in name only after the company confirmed at the weekend that it had retrenched its entire workforce of 202 people and had outsourced operations.

Director Leon Taljard issued a statement in which he said they had been forced to “retrench as a last resort” and would reposition themselves. From today, pick-ups will be done by Coastal Couriers, a different entity.Taljard said they had formed a strategic alliance with Coastal Couriers which would also employ key staff members to ensure that the level of service was not compromised.”Alliances with Namibia Freight Consolidators and Truck Air will be maintained and customers should not be inconvenienced at all,” said the statement.Over the past few years, Cross Country Carriers has gone through a difficult period because of a general downturn in business.Taljard said they had managed to turn the business around and had restructured to maintain the long-term viability of the business thanks to support from banks and business partners.Workers received letters on Thursday informing them that they were summarily retrenched and that their last working day was Friday.Employees said there had been no indication that they would lose their jobs.The company said that because of its dire financial position it was unable to comply with the Labour Law, which requires at least four weeks’ notice of the intention to re-organise the business.It said the situation had forced the company’s immediate closure.Cross Country offered to pay employees not employed by other transport companies a month’s salary and a week’s severance pay.This arrangement, it said, was subject to negotiations with the union.The courier service was established in 1980 and has several depots at major centres across the country.From today, pick-ups will be done by Coastal Couriers, a different entity.Taljard said they had formed a strategic alliance with Coastal Couriers which would also employ key staff members to ensure that the level of service was not compromised.”Alliances with Namibia Freight Consolidators and Truck Air will be maintained and customers should not be inconvenienced at all,” said the statement.Over the past few years, Cross Country Carriers has gone through a difficult period because of a general downturn in business.Taljard said they had managed to turn the business around and had restructured to maintain the long-term viability of the business thanks to support from banks and business partners.Workers received letters on Thursday informing them that they were summarily retrenched and that their last working day was Friday.Employees said there had been no indication that they would lose their jobs.The company said that because of its dire financial position it was unable to comply with the Labour Law, which requires at least four weeks’ notice of the intention to re-organise the business.It said the situation had forced the company’s immediate closure.Cross Country offered to pay employees not employed by other transport companies a month’s salary and a week’s severance pay.This arrangement, it said, was subject to negotiations with the union.The courier service was established in 1980 and has several depots at major centres across the country.