Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Job losses hit Kaiapoi: supermarket axes 80

Updated at 2:35 pm on 9 September 2010

The first of what are expected to be many job losses as a result of the Canterbury earthquake have just been announced.

The 34 full-time and 52 part-time staff at Kaiapoi New World supermarket have lost their jobs.

Foodstuffs South Island chief executive Steve Anderson says the supermarket, which was halfway through a big refurbishment, was severely damaged in Saturday's 7.1 quake and has to be demolished.

It will probably be rebuilt on the same site, he says, but that's expected to take about a year.

Foodstuffs, New World's parent company, says staff will receive their full pay for two months.

Other offers of support include jobs at other Foodstuffs supermarkets, a $500 grocery voucher for full-time staff and a $250 voucher for part-timers.

Staff have also been offered access to a local business adviser to help them find jobs.

Foodstuffs South Island has also announced it is donating $100,000 of grocery vouchers to staff whose families are struggling in the wake of the quake. Each New World and Pak 'N Save store owner will distribute the vouchers.

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