Everyone understands scale of 2 Sisters closure blow ...now we must dig deep to offer hope

ADARK cloud hung over Llangefni last Friday. Soaked in drizzle, the town witnessed, the end of the last shift of the community’s largest employer.

2Sisters Food Group had bought the chicken processing plant from its previous Dutch owners Vion in 2013, taking on hundreds more staff. But a decade on, they decided it was surplus to their requirements, with more modern plants processing three or four times as many birds. The Llangefni plant was showing its age and there was no room to expand, we were told.

A consultation was launched, but it was clear that the decision had already been made. The plant would close.

But whilst that business decision was taken in a board room far away from Llangefni a decision that those making it would no doubt describe as being “very difficult” - it is here in our communities that the pain is felt.

Seven hundred jobs lost is a very significant number anywhere, but in this rural areas it is simply enormous.

Partners have worked effectively on the task force set up in response to the 2Sisters decision. I’ve sat on the group myself, working alongside Anglesey Council and Welsh Government representatives, together with Department of Work and Pensions officials. Other vital local organisations have played a prominent role as partners too, including CAB, MONCF and Coleg Menai.

The initial focus was, of course, on seeing if the com- pany’s decision could be changed, although there was clearly little hope. Then it was the key task of ensuring fair treatment of the workers through redundancy payments and support.

Alongside that, workstreams concentrated on finding new employment and training opportunities, and of course we needed to ensure that support packages were in place for the individuals and families affected.

I was able to highlight the need to properly fund these elements in the Senedd, raising questions with the First Minister and other Ministers.

The deep and genuine level of concern among the population as a whole has been very apparent.

Everyone knew someone who worked there. Everyone understood the scale of the blow to the community at large, and the intense challenge to the individuals and families affected directly.

I was contacted by numerous companies keen to offer jobs, offers I was able to pass on to the task group coordinators at the Council. So many are eager to help. Diolch. Thank you.

And that has to be our pledge now – to try to influence things, in every way we can, to help those affected by this closure, and all the others struggling during this cost of living crisis.

I remain optimistic for our economic future, but sometime we have to dig very deep to offer hope during difficult times.

ROEDD cwmwl tywyll dros Langefni ddydd Gwener diwethaf. Wedi’i socian mewn glaw man, tystiodd y dref ddiwedd shifft olaf cyflogwr mwyaf y gymuned.

Roedd 2Sisters Food Group wedi prynu’r gwaith prosesu ieir gan Vion yn 2013, gan gyflogi cannoedd yn rhagor o staff. Ond ddegawd yn ddiweddarach, fe benderfynon nhw nad oedd ei angen bellach, gyda ffatrioedd mwy modern yn prosesu tair neu bedair gwaith cymaint o adar. Dywedwyd wrthym ni bod ffatri Llangefni yn dangos ei oedran ac nad oedd lle i ehangu.

Lansiwyd ymgynghoriad, ond roedd yn amlwg bod y penderfyniad eisoes wedi’i wneud. Byddai’r gwaith yn cau.

Ond er bod y penderfyniad busnes hwnnw wedi’i wneud ymhell o Langefni – pend- erfyniad y byddai’r rhai wnaeth o yn ddiamau yn ei ddisgrifio fel un “anodd iawn” – yma yn ein cymunedau y mae’r boen yn cael ei deimlo.

Mae colli 700 o swyddi yn nifer sylweddol iawn yn unrhyw le, ond mewn ardal wledig fel hon yma mae’n enfawr. Fe wnaeth partneriaid weithio’n effeithiol ar y tasglu sefydlwyd mewn ymateb i benderfyniad 2Sisters. Rydw i wedi eistedd ar y grŵp fy hun, gan weithio ochr yn ochr â chynrychiolwyr Cyngor Ynys Môn a Llywodraeth Cymru, ynghyd â swyddogion yr Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau. Mae sefydliadau lleol hanfodol eraill wedi chwarae rhan amlwg fel partneriaid hefyd, gan gynnwys Cyngor ar Bopeth, MONCF a Choleg Menai.

Roedd y ffocws cychwynnol, wrth gwrs, ar weld a ellid newid penderfyniad y cwmni, er ei bod yn amlwg nad oedd fawr o obaith. Wedyn, y dasg all- weddol o geisio sicrhau bod gweithwyr yn cael eu trin yn deg trwy daliadau diswyddo a chefnogaeth.

Ochr yn ochr â hynny, roedd ffrydiau gwaith yn canolbwyntio ar ddod o hyd i gyfleoedd cyflogaeth a hyfforddiant newydd, ac wrth gwrs roedd angen sicrhau bod pecynnau cymorth yn eu lle ar gyfer yr unigolion a’r teuluoedd oedd wedi’u heffeithio gan hyn. Llwyddais i roi sylw at yr angen i ariannu’r elfennau hyn yn iawn yn y Senedd, gan godi cwestiynau gyda’r Prif Weinidog a Gweinidogion eraill.

Mae lefel y pryder gwirioneddol ymhlith y boblogaeth gyfan wedi bod yn amlwg iawn. Roedd pawb yn adnabod rhywun oedd yn gweithio yno. Roedd pawb yn deall maint yr ergyd i’r gymuned yn gyffredinol, a’r her enfawr i’r unigolion a’r teuluoedd yr effeithiwyd arnynt yn uniongyrchol.

Cysylltodd nifer o gwmnïau â mi, yn awyddus i gynnig swyddi, cynigion y gallais eu pasio i gydlynwyr y tasglu yn y Cyngor. Mae cymaint wedi bod yn awyddus i helpu. Diolch o galon.

Ac mae’n rhaid i hyn fod yn addewid rwan - i geisio dylanwadu ar bethau, ym mhob ffordd y gallwn, i helpu’r rhai yr effeithir arnynt gan yr ergyd hon, a phawb arall sy’n wynebu trafferth yn ystod yr argyfwng costau byw presennol.

Rwy’n parhau i fod yn obeithiol am ein dyfodol economaidd, ond weithiau mae’n rhaid cloddio’n ddwfn iawn i gynnig gobaith yn ystod cyfnod anodd.