This sounds just like Thomson Holidays, just after they announced their reduction in redundancy payouts from an unofficial 1 month to 1.5 weeks for anyone less than 40, they made big layoffs. GB's labour laws are a soft touch compared to some other countries, Germany for example.

Mark Smith, London, England.

They're being flexible - like their clothes they have found that one size doesn't fit all... or anyone very well..

Ed, Coventry, UK

The same terms and conditions should apply to the Managing Director down. There should not be one pay out and benefits for senior management and another for staff. M&S changed their redundancy package in 2005 saying that it was because of age discrimination and reduced the package to older staff.

Maggie, London,

British made clothing ?. M&S were the biggest destroyers of the clothing industry in britain when they switched production to India.

Alex, Darlington.,

The problem with M&S, as with many other UK retailers, is that its operating costs are rising fast largely because it is expanding its store space in a downturn, while cannibalising its high street sales by selling online. It is the economics of the madhouse.

Robert C, London, UK

They are still very generous redundancy payments. Very much more than those available to me and the majority of people. However as has been pointed out the severance packages available to senior execs both at M and S and most other large companies continue to be indecently inflated.

Bob Wiltshire, Alnwick, NORTHUMBERLAND

i work in retail and over the last few years theres have been several restructures resulting in redundancy options......i might add not as lucrative as the M&S offer......statuatory payout is much less that the M&S offer.....stop moaning, all those previous years bonus payouts more than compensate

jc, liverpool, uk

Its not greedy to expect the level of benefit you have been promised when signing a contract.

And I think that the outcry is more to do with the fact that this implies mass redundancy is expected.

The last cull is still in the fresh in the memories of most M&S employees

Boo, London,

M& S has lost it for the time being. The crazy notion of charging for bags stops passing trade (certainly me) and probably encourages shop lifting. Hitting the staff tells me the green experiment has failed - time to get back to basics - look after staff who look after customers etc - John Lewis?

g shepherd, chelmsford, UK

When Sir Phillip Green bought Arcadia he quietly tore up the employment terms and reduced redundancy to one week per year!

Just why did this tax evading market trader get a knighthood?

Arcadia now has the worst terms and conditions of any major retail group - Wal Mart eat your heart out.

Michael , Rugby,

I can only envy their REDUCED redundancy payouts.

It's no fun being made redundant on the Government statutory payments, after your company has been mis-managed into oblivion !

Obviously, the Director's got their money out before this happened.

cap, Lincoln, UK

If the same "benefits" were applied to top management the pay outs would perhaps be received with less opposition.
Another reason why it is time to put an end to the millions pocketed by boardroom directors each time they leave office regardless of their performance.

peterfieldman, paris, france

>>and twice the level of the statutory payout

That is a very wrong statement, statutory payout only pays up to a maximum of £330 per week, with limits on the number of weeks. The result is that for your example the payout would be just £7,920.

Roger, London,

"The proposed changes would still leave M&S staff with twice the level of the statutory payout;" - so what's wrong with cutting it down to the statutory payout level? That's what many of their customers have ever got!

Rita, Mulhouse, France

My wife is a shopper at M&S. I say bring the prices down
ASAP - but for some reason they will not and are entenched in the price mind set of the past !!!!!

ian payne, walsall,

The only thing you used to get was your cards. Maybe if they had to pay the employer if they left for another job they would not be so greedy. 1-year is more than enough.

Frederick, London, UK

Profits of over £1b!!

Where were the demands for a windfall tax on them or the protests for cheaper pants?

Paul, Camberley,

They're lucky to get ANY redundancy pay. M&S' real competition is not even in the UK: it's WORLDWIDE. And most of the real world doesn't shop in expensive department stores, wear British-made clothing or willingly fund Rolls-Royce golden parachutes when they do their shopping...

Chris. Fulker, Jiji Township, Nantou County, Taiwan