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Bernard Matthews staff 'laid off' | Bernard Matthews staff 'laid off' |
(20 minutes later) | |
About 130 workers at a Bernard Matthews site face being laid off in the wake of the bird flu outbreak, a union says. | |
The Transport and General Workers' Union said employees at Great Witchingham, near Norwich, would be stood down for 20 days from Tuesday. | |
The firm is preparing to lay off a total of 500 workers, the TGWU claimed. | The firm is preparing to lay off a total of 500 workers, the TGWU claimed. |
Environment Secretary David Miliband told MPs the focus remained on links between Hungary and the farm in Holton, Suffolk, where the outbreak occurred. | |
In a statement in the Commons, he said the earliest time that bird flu restriction zones in Suffolk could be lifted was the second week of March. | |
A spokesman for the TGWU told the BBC that the Bernard Matthews staff at the site in Norfolk were being laid off and not made redundant. | |
He added that the crucial thing was for the company to win back the trust of consumers. | He added that the crucial thing was for the company to win back the trust of consumers. |
Drop in sales | Drop in sales |
Last week the company admitted to BBC East that at one stage sales had fallen by 40% after the bird flu outbreak. | Last week the company admitted to BBC East that at one stage sales had fallen by 40% after the bird flu outbreak. |
The TGWU called on the government to pay compensation to the industry because of the drop in sales. | The TGWU called on the government to pay compensation to the industry because of the drop in sales. |
It said any compensation should include payments to the staff who were being laid off. | It said any compensation should include payments to the staff who were being laid off. |
The 130 workers standing down from Tuesday will receive a one-off payment of £100 each from the company as well as some statutory payments, the TGWU said. | The 130 workers standing down from Tuesday will receive a one-off payment of £100 each from the company as well as some statutory payments, the TGWU said. |
Chris Kaufman, national officer of the TGWU, said: "Industry will need the full backing of its government as it faces a challenging period. | Chris Kaufman, national officer of the TGWU, said: "Industry will need the full backing of its government as it faces a challenging period. |
"The government should also assist the workforce by ensuring that the benefits they are entitled to are processed without delay." | "The government should also assist the workforce by ensuring that the benefits they are entitled to are processed without delay." |
The H5N1 strain of bird flu was found at a Bernard Matthews farm in Holton earlier this month. | |
It was nearly identical to a strain found in Hungary, where the company has a plant which regularly supplied meat to its UK operation. |