UNION SET TO RUFFLE FEATHERS
Chicken firm could face legal action
Unite trade union is considering legal action against 2 Sisters after the company axed its Cambuslang chicken plant.
The decision will leave 450 employees out of work when the plant closes in August.
In a letter to workers last week, the company said: “Despite everyone’s best efforts, we have not been able to find an alternative to the initial proposal to close the site.
“Our expectation is that the site will need to continue to operate until the end of August.”
Now union bosses have vowed to continue fighting for their members and have not ruled out taking legal action over the closure.
Unite rep Scot Walker said: “It has become clear that the company had already made its mind up to close the site prior to the consultation and consolidate all its cooked poultry in a single site in East Anglia.”
Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey also revealed she has secured an early meeting with Paul Wheelhouse MSP, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, in a bid to help out of work employees.
It was the scenario workers and the local community dreaded.
And now the decision has been taken to close the 2 Sisters plant in Cambuslang, leaving 450 employees out of work come August.
An institution in the town for over 30 years, workers now face an uncertain future as the doors prepare to close in a matter of months.
Union reps will take stock before deciding the best way forward which, they say, could lead to legal action.
Staff were given the news last Thursday in person by management before the shift change at lunchtime.
Some workers were angry and others in tears following the announcement.
Staff were also given a letter from 2 Sisters that said: “Despite everyone’s best efforts, we have
not been able to find an alternative to the initial proposal to close the site.
“Our expectations is that the site will need to continue to operate until the end of August.”
Plans to close the Cambuslang plant were announced in February, followed by an eightweek consultation period between the company, the union, Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Minister for Business, the local MP and MSPs.
Local Unite representative Scot Walker questioned whether the consultation was genuine.
He said: “We asked the company for a further two weeks to go back to the Scottish Government and agencies to try and explore additional options.
“The company turned that down flat. They told us the factory was closing and that the consultation on that could not be extended.
“It has become clear that the company had already made its mind up to close the site prior to the consultation and consolidate all its cooked poultry in a single site in East Anglia.”
The union confirmed it now intends to seek legal advice.
Mr Walker added: “Unite will continue to fight for the best outcome possible for our members.”
Many employees at 2 Sisters in Cambuslang were still “taking it in” as the Reformer went to press this week, reluctant to speak out.
Cambuslang man James Paterson, who has worked at the plant for 20 years, said workers just woke up to the news on Thursday that Marks and Spencer was not backing the campaign to keep the Cambuslang base open.
He questioned the point of the consultation if the company had made up its mind – and he accused 2 Sisters of “holding workers to ransom” by not giving immediate redundancies and making employees stay on until August.
James added: “As for government and politicians, what good has that done us? No one even told us what was going on, only that Scottish Enterprise’s plan wasn’t good enough for the company.”
Geraldine Saunders, a plant worker of five years, said: “It is devastating news. I know whole families living under the one roof who are set to lose their jobs.
“The trouble with working to August is that we will all be looking for jobs at the same time, just before the run up to Christmas.”
Other workers told the Reformer that the whole process has been a “disgrace” due to the poor flow of information.
One young male worker, who did not wish to be named, added: “The whole process with the politicians has been a disgrace, and now 2 Sisters expects us to work on to the very last minute while the firm ‘moves production in steps,’ according to the letter.”
The firm’s official statement says: “Following an extensive period of consultation with colleagues and external agencies, it is with regret that we can confirm the closure of our site in Cambuslang.
“This is not a decision we take lightly. Since day one, we have been very open on the big challenges the factory faces. In fact we have been trying extremely hard to reverse the position for a considerable period of time. We have invested several million pounds since 2014 and expanded by taking on more people, yet it is still a heavily loss-making operation.
“We have tried every turnaround option available to us for several years, ranging from cost reduction measures and an attempt to grow the business organically. It has made little difference.
“Work at the facility is expected to end in August and we will now explore all options in the gradual movement of product to other sites. We will continue to support all our colleagues with all the redeployment options available to us.”