Thomas Cook shutting down travel agency

Employees at the Sri Lankan branch of Thomas Cook India Ltd, a travel and financial services company, are voicing concerns at the company's plans to shut down its travel agency operations and lay off its staff by January 31, 2008. Sources told The Sunday Times FT that after the Thomas Cook hired an official company representative and attorney at law as a consultant, it was determined that the travel operations were unprofitable and letters have been sent to existing staff, offering a compensation package for a meagre amount.

The sources said the two Thomas Cook foreign exchange counters at the Bandaranaike International Airport is 'minting money' but the travel counters are not. They also said that according to emails, the company is planning to send off old staff and recruit new ones with fresh contracts.

To that effect, they are gathering data on market size. Staff members have written to the Industrial Relations/Termination Unit of the Labour Commissioner’s office voicing their concerns in a letter dated December 4, 2007. To date, they have not had a response. (NG)