A GLASGOW sausage factory which employs 150 people is to close despite a battle by politicians and unions to keep it open.
• Taskforce or politicians, union and company representatives was set up to try and save plant
• Work from Glasgow plant will be transferred to Yorkshire
A campaign was mounted to save the Freshlink Foods plant in the Shettleston area of Glasgow.
But Freshlink, part of ABP Food Group, announced that with “great regret” production will stop early next year.
The work is expected to be transferred to Yorkshire over the next few weeks and months.
Glasgow Shettleston MSP John Mason strongly condemned the decision by Freshlink Foods to close the plant.
He said: “I’m extremely disappointed at the company’s decision and know that this will come as a bitter blow to staff at the site.
“It is difficult not to conclude that Freshlink had little enthusiasm for finding a solution that would keep jobs in Glasgow, as the company persistently only sent a junior manager to the taskforce aimed at saving jobs. Having been part of that taskforce for the last four months, I know that substantial offers of help and assistance were put forward.#
“In addition, senior officials from Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, Scottish Enterprise, Clyde Gateway and others have invested significant amounts of time in trying to find a solution. It is extremely frustrating that the company chose not to take them up.
“The 145 staff at Freshlink will now be facing an uncertain future. The company has still not clarified its time-scale for closing the plant and this makes it more difficult for staff to find other jobs. My thoughts are with the staff who have had such disappointing news today and my focus will now be on ensuring that they have access to every possible opportunity to find new employment.”
A stakeholder group involving the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, Usdaw union and company representatives and others was set up to try to save the site.
‘Funding’
But Freshlink Foods announced it was to close.
A spokesman for Freshlink Foods said that relocation to Yorkshire was the “lower funding requirement” of all options available.
: “It is with great regret that this decision has been taken. However, whilst a significant number of options have been considered during a lengthy and ongoing consultation process with employees, the relocation of production to an existing site within the group had a substantially lower funding requirement than all of the other options considered.
“Freshlink Foods would like to recognise and thank the stakeholders taskforce, the Scottish Government and the various agencies involved for their considerable efforts throughout this process.
“As part of the continuing consultation process, employees will be given assistance and support as they seek alternative employment, to include other opportunities within the wider group.”