Shettleston MSP John Mason has welcomed assurances from the Scottish Government that every support possible will be provided to workers at the Freshlink sausage factory in his constituency which is set to close.
The closure of the factory will cost the 145 workers at the site their jobs and efforts are now underway to support them into alternative employment. Enterprise Minister Fergus Ewing is set to visit the factory on Friday to discuss the specifically tailored package of support that will be provided to employees.
John Mason campaigned extensively to save jobs at the Freshlink factory and was part of the taskforce that secured a generous offer of support from the Scottish Government, which Fergus Ewing today confirmed was the largest support package possible under Regional Selective Assistance rules.
This package was turned down by the company which has now confirmed that the factory will close, however many workers have complained that uncertainty over when the site will close is hindering people’s ability to apply for new jobs without jeopardising their redundancy packages.
Commenting, SNP MSP John Mason said:
“I remain bitterly disappointed over the closure of Freshlink, but the company’s decision has left us no option but to try and secure positive alternative futures for the 145 workers who are set to lose their jobs.
“I welcome the fact that the Scottish Government has confirmed that a PACE team is drawing up a tailored package of skills development for workers and that it will continue to offer every support possible.
“The information on when the factory will close that has been given to workers by the company so far has been totally inadequate, so the assurance that the Enterprise Minister will press for more answers is a positive one.
“It is an extremely difficult situation when anyone loses their job, but that is made so much worse when workers are facing unnecessary uncertainty over when they personally will finish working there. After the way they have been treated, the workers at Freshlink deserve far, far better.”
