Blast factory staff face lay-offs

The rescue operation at Stockline lasted for days

The company whose factory blew up in Glasgow last month is considering laying off staff in the near future.

Stockline Plastics plans to write to employees but said the letters would not contain notices of redundancies at this stage.

Lay-offs among the 46 staff are among the options for Stockline, which met local politicians on Friday to discuss their future and that of the factory.

Nine people died and dozens were badly hurt in the explosion on 11 May.

The surviving workers are said to be worried and confused about their situation.

It is essential that those affected by the explosion are provided with information concerning their future as quickly as possible Patricia Ferguson MSP

They have continued to receive wages but are now concerned that they have had their last payments. A spokesman refused to confirm whether or not this was the case.

One employee told the BBC: "No-one from the company has been in touch about what's happening.

"No-one's even phoned to ask how we are. We should know what our future is, what are we supposed to do?"

The spokesman urged workers who qualify for sickness benefit to contact the company, because it lost most of its records in the explosion.

Support group

Local MP Ann McKechin and Patricia Ferguson, MSP, arranged Friday's private meeting with Stockline Plastics directors Campbell and Lorna Downie to discuss the future of the Maryhill factory.

The politicians said the talks were a result of concerns raised by workers and their relatives.

Ms Ferguson said: "It is essential that those affected by the explosion are provided with information concerning their future as quickly as possible."

A support group has been set up by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC).

A separate group has been formed to press for compensation on behalf of the workforce.

The Health and Safety Executive is continuing an investigation into the cause of the explosion, in which five men and four women died.