by Nick Evans

Sheerness Docks' workers are being asked to take unpaid leave or work fewer hours to help cut costs.

The port, which handles large volumes of imported cars and steel, has been hit by the economic downturn and is now looking for at least 20 of its 250 employees to opt for unpaid leave of between three and 12 months.

It also wants more volunteers to choose to work 15 fewer hours per week for at least six months.

Managing director Paul Kavanagh denied jobs would be lost if there were not enough volunteers.

He said: “Asking people to consider sabbaticals or working less hours is just one of a number of ways of cutting costs we have been working on over the past few months.

“We’re not going to be making people redundant if there aren’t enough volunteers for these schemes and there has already been some interest in them. Volumes of cars and steel have fallen during the downturn but we’re confident they will pick up eventually.”

An notice sent to all docks employees says requests to take sabbaticals or work fewer hours will be approved on a case by case basis.

Those taking sabbaticals will be entitled to return to the jobs they left, provided they come back on the agreed date. Those opting for shorter time will see their pay and benefits pro-rated.

In February, we reported how the docks was in the process of making 50 staff redundant as it battled with the economic downturn.