Poultry firm to lay off 500 staff after bird flu alert
Staff and agencies
Monday February 19, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Hundreds of workers at a Bernard Matthews factory in Norfolk face being laid off in the wake of the bird flu outbreak, it was revealed today.
Around 130 employees at Great Witchingham, Norfolk, the headquarters of the firm, will be stood down for 20 days from tomorrow. The firm is also preparing to lay off a total of 500 workers, according to the Transport and General Workers Union.
The environment secretary, David Miliband, told the House of Commons that the earliest time at which bird flu restriction zones in Suffolk could be lifted was the second week of March.
News of the redundancies comes after serious biosecurity shortfalls were exposed at the Bernard Matthews plant in Holton, Suffolk by government inspectors investigating the H5N1 outbreak at the plant earlier this month.
The government is considering prosecuting the firm after investigators found holes in the turkey sheds where birds and vermin could get in and spread the disease, leaking roofs and uncovered bins where seagulls were seen carrying off meat waste.
It also emerged that firm had been warned about poor hygiene standards at the plant.
Mr Miliband said the "focus" of the investigation is on the transport links between Suffolk and Hungary and on "biosecurity" at the plant. He added that the "legal implications" of the outbreak would be a matter of continued discussions with officials.
He added that 21 other premises have been tested for bird flu, and the results have all been negative. However, he was cautious over the results: "There is no guarantee against further outbreaks, indeed the only guarantee is that there will be a further risks of outbreaks."
The TGWU called on the government to pay compensation to the industry because of the impact on sales in recent weeks.
Officials pointed out that governments in Spain and Italy gave their industries financial help following similar outbreaks.
The 130 workers being laid off from tomorrow will receive a one off payment of ?100 each from the company as well as some statutory payments, said the TGWU.
Chris Kaufman, national officer of the TGWU, said: "The government should also assist the workforce by ensuring that the benefits they are entitled to are processed without delay."
Staff and agencies
Monday February 19, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Hundreds of workers at a Bernard Matthews factory in Norfolk face being laid off in the wake of the bird flu outbreak, it was revealed today.
Around 130 employees at Great Witchingham, Norfolk, the headquarters of the firm, will be stood down for 20 days from tomorrow. The firm is also preparing to lay off a total of 500 workers, according to the Transport and General Workers Union.
The environment secretary, David Miliband, told the House of Commons that the earliest time at which bird flu restriction zones in Suffolk could be lifted was the second week of March.
News of the redundancies comes after serious biosecurity shortfalls were exposed at the Bernard Matthews plant in Holton, Suffolk by government inspectors investigating the H5N1 outbreak at the plant earlier this month.
The government is considering prosecuting the firm after investigators found holes in the turkey sheds where birds and vermin could get in and spread the disease, leaking roofs and uncovered bins where seagulls were seen carrying off meat waste.
It also emerged that firm had been warned about poor hygiene standards at the plant.
Mr Miliband said the "focus" of the investigation is on the transport links between Suffolk and Hungary and on "biosecurity" at the plant. He added that the "legal implications" of the outbreak would be a matter of continued discussions with officials.
He added that 21 other premises have been tested for bird flu, and the results have all been negative. However, he was cautious over the results: "There is no guarantee against further outbreaks, indeed the only guarantee is that there will be a further risks of outbreaks."
The TGWU called on the government to pay compensation to the industry because of the impact on sales in recent weeks.
Officials pointed out that governments in Spain and Italy gave their industries financial help following similar outbreaks.
The 130 workers being laid off from tomorrow will receive a one off payment of ?100 each from the company as well as some statutory payments, said the TGWU.
Chris Kaufman, national officer of the TGWU, said: "The government should also assist the workforce by ensuring that the benefits they are entitled to are processed without delay."