Brexit: Anglesey job losses blamed on UK Government policy
The 730 redundancies at a chicken processing plant could be the “first of many” such blows to the Welsh economy the Leader of Anglesey County Council has warned.
Councillor Llinos Medi is in daily contact with the 2Sisters Food Group who yesterday began a 45-day consultation period with the workers at its Llangefni factory.
Speaking with Nation.Cymru Cllr Medi said: “This could be the first of many such (job losses) if UK Government don’t step in quickly.”
She added that company chiefs told her in a meeting yesterday that Brexit was a contributing factor.
“They named Brexit, so at the moment the levers for that massive change of safeguarding the factory lies with UK Government.
“All the decisions around Brexit – the business deals, (exodus of European) workers, rising energy costs, inflation and the (shortage) of CO2 – those are policy issues that lie with the UK Government.”
The British Meat Processors Association has been warning for some time of a CO2 shortage. Carbon dioxide is used when slaughtering chickens and when processing meat to prolong shelf life.
Cllr Medi said: “The company has gone for the minimum consultation period of 45 days. That takes us to March – that’s how close that end line is, so it’s a very difficult time for the workers.
“I spoke with First Minister Mark Drakeford himself this morning (26 January) and Welsh Government is eager to support us. But we have to be honest – all the mechanisms to resolve this lies with the UK Government.”
Cllr Medi added that she currently has a daily meeting with company representatives, “in order to keep the dialogue open.”
Community
The 2Sisters Food Group has offered workers redeployment to their Deeside plant according to Cllr Medi.
“It’s not practical – Deeside is over an hour away and with the price of fuel it would be costly for them. Many of the workers live in Llangefni itself and they walk or ride their bike into work. It’s a community within a community.”
There’s also and added risk with redeployment added Ms Medi.
“They would leave the island with their families and as the last census showed we are an aging population here on Ynys Môn – that would have a dramatic effect.
“These people live in our communities and they are extremely important to the island.”
UK Government
The Conservative MP for Anglesey is Virginia Crosbie.
Yesterday (January 25) Ms Crosbie asked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak what support the UK Government could give to her constituents and the wider community.
Mr Sunak said the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP): “Has procedures in place to support communities when situations like this arise …”
Ms Crosbie says she has also raised the matter with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Minister of State for Employment Guy Opperman.
“A rapid response team from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has already been in contact with 2 Sisters,” she explained.
“I have been told employees will be offered a job coach, retraining and the company has agreed workers can leave shifts to attend job interviews.”
Challenges
In a statement the 2Sisters Food Group said operational changes are needed, in order, “to help us overcome the continuing challenges facing the food manufacturing sector.”
The company added that, “significant investment” is needed to upgrade the processing plant.
“Our Llangefni factory is not sustainable. It is old, one of our smallest sites and lacking space to be efficient. The cost to produce here is higher, and it would require significant investment to bring it up to the standards of our other factories. Our products can be made more efficiently elsewhere across our estate.”
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Nothing to do with the company concluding that the recent closure of the bridge highlighted the potential logistic problems for them.
No problem here. Wales voted to leave the EU, despite warnings that were dismissed as Project Fear. They insisted they knew what they were voting for. As democrats we must accept the consequences of the choice made, which was to be poorer with less rights, and that is what is happening. People in Wales will be pleased with this sort of result as it confirms that Brexit is real and there’s no way back. So all good.
The statement by the Council leader is a odds with what the company say- ( Brexit not mentioned?? Is she playing party politics here i wonder) They are saying the factory needs a lot of investment due to the Llangefni factory is not sustainable. It is old, one of our smallest sites and lacking space to be efficient. The cost to produce here is higher, and it would require significant investment to bring it up to the standards of our other factories. Our products can be made more efficiently elsewhere across our estate.”