ONE of Worcester's biggest employers has been accused of using bullying tactics on its staff.

Members of Reality's security team claim their contracts are being changed without notification and they believe eight people could be made redundant.

But Reality says it is bringing Worcester into line with other areas of the company.

Security staff currently work three 12-hour shifts a week, but claim they were told on Monday their working hours would be spread over five days and their shift allowance cut.

They said the company, which has around 20 security staff at various sites around the city, was also looking for voluntary redundancies.

"They're supposed to be a caring and listening company but they don't care at all," said one worker, who asked not to be named.

"They announced the redundancies and told us our working patterns would be changed and if we didn't want to do it, we'd be replaced by contract workers. We've had these threats before and the company is using them to bully us."

Another employee, who also asked not to be identified, described the announcement as "a dictatorship attitude - basically if we didn't like it, we can lump it".

But a spokeswoman for the Manchester-based company, which employs 3,000 people in Worcester at firms like Kays, Argos and White Arrow, said the announcement had been made during a series of roadshows across the company designed to ensure employees were involved in the formation of new policy.

"A review of security teams at all Reality sites has shown the shift system currently worked in Worcester is different," she said.

"While this will result in changes to working patterns, this will be done over a period of time and with thorough consultation with the people involved."

She denied there would be redundancies, saying there would be a "small-scale reduction" in the security team at Worcester, but Reality was "confident" staff would be relocated elsewhere within the city, with retraining if necessary.