Job losses at meat packing firm

Job losses at meat packing firm

Redundancies are expected in mid-June

Union representatives at a Norfolk meat packing plant are meeting management on Friday over job losses.

Tulip, which processes bacon in Thetford, said it was planning 165 redundancies.

The company said it came to the decision reluctantly because business is slow.

It has already shed all of its temporary staff. The redundancies are expected in mid-June.

Margaret Holmes, of the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) - which represents staff at the plant, said: "Many in Thetford have several family members working at Tulip so this news will hit the local community hard.

"We understand the redundancies are due to the loss of a contract but we are staring at the loss of nearly a quarter of the workforce with manual staff particularly hard hit."

'Ensure best deal'

The company has asked to meet with the union this Friday to discuss new arrangements for managing the situation and to consider new redundancy selection criteria.

Ms Holmes added: "The T&G will be making it clear this Friday that we will want to ensure our members get the best possible deal if their job has to be lost.

"In particular we would not wish to see adverse changes to the current agreement on how to manage redundancies.

"We will push Tulip to give a commitment that in the event of an upturn in trade, those who lose their jobs now will be given first call in any future recruitment."