According to the Times, Nadine Houghton, national officer of the GMB union, which represents Wilko workers, has called on the business and trade committee to bring Wilkinson in to give evidence.
“She must explain why there is a £56m hole in the pension pot and what she will do to plug it, given that she and her family extracted £77m during the past ten years,” Houghton said.
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Wilkinson had previously justified the payouts made during the period of financial losses, citing the company’s £100m in assets and a robust bank balance of £58m.
In an interview with The Times, she said the board had thoroughly assessed the financial situation, ensuring ample cash reserves and adhering to proper governance procedures, which were also verified by auditors.
She further stated that the withdrawals made by the family “really wouldn’t have made a difference” to the company’s financial standing.
Wilkinson is the granddaughter of the company’s founder James Kempsey Wilkinson.
She took over the reigns as the boss of the retail chain back in 2014 when she bought her majority stake in Wilko from her cousin Karin Swann, also a granddaughter of the founder.
The family have faced backlash for paying £77m to themselves and former shareholders in the ten years before the retailer fell into administration last month.
This included a £3m dividend last year, which was paid despite Wilko reporting losses of £39m, while £3.2m was also paid out in 2018 when the discounter recorded a £65m loss.
Houghton once again called for the Wilkinson family “to plug the deficit in the company’s pension scheme” to help prop up workers’ pension pots.
The deficit in the scheme, which holds 2,000 members, is £76m on a buyout basis.
It is set to recover £20m from security it took over a distribution centre and other freehold properties.
Pension experts have said its likely that the scheme will now enter an assessment process for the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), and during that period, the trustees will continue to pay pensioners.
Although those coming up to retirement may only receive 90% of their promised pension. In addition, all members are likely to lose some of the future inflation protection their scheme would have provided.
Earlier this month it emerged that Wilko’s 400 stores are set to close after HMV owner Doug Putman’s offer to take on the bulk of its shops fell through.
B&M has inked a deal to buy 52 stores, while Poundland has snapped up 71 shops.
The Range also bought Wilko’s brand, website and intellectual property for £5m.
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