SUNSEEKER employees in the midst of a major redundancy programme say they were dealt an insensitive blow after being asked to clap and dance for a promotional video.

 

 

In October the luxury yacht-building business, which employs around 2,500 people in Poole, announced it was streamlining “non-core” activities and would be making significant redundancies.

It’s understood 240 people were laid off in the week before Christmas and a further 60 jobs are due to be axed at the firm.

But yesterday staff were told to “smile and have fun” when they were filmed outside Sunseeker’s shipyard at Poole Quay clapping along to Queen’s We Will Rock You.

Angered employees said a notice from ‘Andrew’ asking staff to take part in a “participative group flash-mob style sequence” was put up on Monday.

It read: “We want you to do a right foot stomp, then left foot stomp and clap above your head in time with the rock track We Will Rock You.”

The notice ended with the cheery sign-off: “Thank you all – smile and have fun!”, accompanied by a smiley face. One employee, who refused to take part, said it was a kick in the teeth for employees.

He said: “They told us on Monday that everybody has got to go and dance for this video but a lot of us just said we wouldn’t.

“Morale is really low. People don’t know what’s going on.

“They are getting rid of lots of staff and then they tell us dance around for a video. It’s really insensitive.”

Another employee said: “Sunseeker is laying people off and at Christmas we were told we have no pay rise but there is plenty of overtime in the New Year. Then we get told they want us over at ship yard five to do some dancing.”

A spokesman from Sunseeker said employees were invited to take part in the filming for the video, which will be played at the launch of the London Boat Show on Friday.

He said: “The employees at the factory were invited to take part. No one was forced to do anything.”

The Sunseeker story... 1979-2014

  • 1979: Poole Powerboats makes its first Sunseeker motorboat. Sunseeker becomes the largest privately-owned employer in the region employing 2,500.
  • 2007: The company acquires the Luhrs Marine Factory site in Portland and announces an expansion, creating an additional 500 jobs.
  • 1999-2008: Sunseeker yachts feature in four successive James Bond films.
  • July 2012: Founder Robert Braithwaite steps down from his day-to-day role to become president.
  • June 2013: Chinese property conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group buys a 92 per cent stake in the firm for £320m.
  • April 2014: The company unveils its 155 yacht, the largest private motor yacht built in the UK. Formula One chief Eddie Jordan is among those who own one.
  • July 2014: Managing director Stewart McIntyre steps down.
  • October 2014: Sunseeker announces that 300 people are to lose their jobs in Poole by Christmas, subject to a consultation. It says it is streamlining ‘non-core activities’ and investing in bringing new models to market more quickly.
  • November 2014: Phil Popham is appointed the new chief executive following a 25-year career at Jaguar Land Rover. He speaks of “tremendous opportunities to grow this industry-leading, world-renowned brand”.
  • December 19 2014: 240 staff lose their jobs, with another 60 expected to follow.