Gibbons Limited Decrease Work Hours/Salaries

May 2, 2020

Noting they have seen a 90%+ decrease in sales, Edmund Gibbons Limited said that in ”order to ensure the future sustainability of our retail businesses and to avoid layoffs if at all possible,” they “have had to take the difficult decision to mutually agree with our employees an equal decrease in both working hours and salaries.”

A spokesperson said, “Edmund Gibbons Limited, the parent company of Gibbons Company, Burrows Lightbourn and Bermuda Motors, reaffirmed its commitment to continuing the operations of its businesses and retaining the employment of as many of its employees as possible despite the impacts of COVID-19 on its group of companies. Since the pandemic began, causing severe interruptions in all industry sectors, these companies have seen a 90%+ decrease in sales.

“Our top priority has and will continue to be the health and safety of our employees and keeping as many of them financially stable during this global crisis. Throughout the ‘Shelter in Place’ and ‘Lockdown’ period Edmund Gibbons Limited has paid all employees their full salaries despite being unable to operate as normal, while also needing to carry significant costs to maintain the viability of its various companies.

“In order to ensure the future sustainability of our retail businesses, and to avoid layoffs if at all possible, we have had to take the difficult decision to mutually agree with our employees an equal decrease in both working hours and salaries by 50%, effective May 4th for Gibbons Company, Burrows Lightbourn, and Bermuda Motors. To date more than 99% of our employees have agreed this arrangement, with only one formally taking the layoff option.

“Further to this all family members holding executive positions will not draw a salary effective May 4th, and other overhead costs have been reduced where possible. These needed measures will remain in place for the month of May and will be re-evaluated carefully as we progress through the various phases of the re-opening plan for Bermuda.

“We are pleased to have been able to work very closely with the Government of Bermuda to temporarily waive the mandatory payroll tax deductions from employee salaries and have also coordinated with them to automatically include the $500 dollar weekly unemployment benefit directly into employee salaries for those that are eligible.

“All employees were notified last month and we remain in continuous contact with our various teams to support them as and where possible. Edmund Gibbons Limited and its group of companies has deep roots in Bermuda, dating back to 1916, and it is our deepest desire to continue to provide continuing employment to our employees as well as the provision of products and services that the community has and will continue to expect from us.”

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Comments (17)

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  1. Onion Juice says:

    You have to feel for the employees, in Bermuda wages are low and cost of living is expensive.
    Just like Trimminghams, Gibbons Group have Historical Oligarch roots, so they wont suffer.

    • What? says:

      They won’t be affected? You realize that Triminghams went bust right? You are such an idiot! Go back to Alaska Hall for your handout troll!

    • wahoo says:

      Shut up all of Bermuda will suffer and dumb comments like yours don’t help. There are great people thinking of new ways to forge ahead and you are sitting at home living with your backward mentality. I suppose you are still collecting full pay at taxpayer expense?

      • Onion Juice says:

        And if I was, its a small token of compensation for my Ancestor’s 400 years of FREE LABOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        • Joe Bloggs says:

          “And if I was, its a small token of compensation for my Ancestor’s 400 years of FREE LABOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

          And once again I will ask the PLP Government did not abolish free labour in 1998? Why did they wait until 2009?

      • What? says:

        I have my OWN business and doing very well thank you very much! Enjoy the new normal world

    • Sandgrownan says:

      Always an even handed view, you must have a chip on both shoulders

    • youngsmith says:

      That is not true. Bermuda’s wages are not low. You can’t aspect to get high wages for a low end job. I am all for good wages. But come on… Salespersons base pay is low because they work off commission. That’s how you bring the bacon home. That means if you the consumer don’t buy Bermuda, local salespersons won’t bring home good wages. We have to take some sort of responsibility too. A decade or two ago, salespersons were able to pay off for their homes, and send their children abroad to university with their wages. Why? Because their commissions/ gratuities. So if sales are bad, we still expect companies to pay staff high wages? So company’s taking out interest bank loans to keep locals from being in unemployment lines are not enough? I don’t think you understand the seriousness of the current times we are in.

    • 2 Bermudas says:

      Brown & Co’s turn next, let’s see what you say then.

    • puzzled says:

      I knew it would not take long for you to crawl out of your Covid-Slime shell to bring race into this.
      our an ass Juice.
      I hope you don’t get it.
      You’d blame it on the “Oligarch”.

  2. Sailor says:

    Seriously….Gibbons family owns half the city and places like burrows lightbourne and bermuda motors. They have to be the richest family in Bermuda.They have been racking in the cash over the years and now they cant afford to keep some department store employees on full pay. I am struggling with my company but still fully paying staff. People need to remember who has treated their staff fairly during this time and use those stores going forward. That is just ridiculous.

  3. Oof says:

    Oof, 90%+ decrease in sales

  4. Mark says:

    Yet more unnecessary words of ignorance from the most pointless one. How about your Government Oligarchy mates take a pay cut to?

  5. Ladeej says:

    I certainly feel for the workers and all worker in Bermuda affected by this pandemic. In my household, 50% are working from home on full salary and 50% are unemployed due to this crisis.

    Regarding the Gibbons employees, I am a bit confused. The article states that they have been on full salary though the shelter in place. Why then was the need for the $500 unemployment benefit from Government? I thought it was for the unemployed.

    • .am says:

      Is that not coming into effect now that their wages have been reduced by 50pc?