A nightmare before Christmas for some Bunnings employees

Staff at two of the hardware stores - Waikanae on the Kapiti coast and Te Aroha in Waikato - have just been told their workplaces will close before the end of the year.

First Union says it asked the company to delay until the New Year... but it was denied, leaving employees with little time to process the news, and get information about redundancies.

Bunnings says the staff will still have a job into next year, as they help with closing the stores.

It says employees will be offered options to suit their circumstances.