WORKERS at United Norwest in Bolton, Bury and Leigh will get a pay boost following a record breaking financial year for the Co-op. Workers from Bolton, Bury, Horwich, Farnworth, Atherton and Tyldesley will get an extra week's pay with the final pay-out from the first year's operation of the Government's profit related pay scheme operated by the Co-op. United Norwest, which is the country's largest regional co-op with 500 retail units in the North West and North Midlands, recently announced an increase in annual profits of 38.1 per cent in the year 1997-98.

Chief Executive, Martin Beaumont said that for the vast majority of the Society's 10,000 staff, the payout represented just over a week's wage, most of it tax free.

He said: "Our heavy investment programme in successful areas of the business is continuing to bear fruit and the sound foundations we have laid look set to bring us another profitable year."

United Norwest operates 250 Co-op stores, Food Markets and Late Shop convenience stores, plus scores of funeral homes, travel branches and pharmacies.

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