As
the foot-and-mouth crisis enters its third week, meat processing companies have
been forced to lay off staff and cut back working hours.
Unions
say about 1,800 food processing workers across Britain are working shorter
hours as a result of the outbreak.
The
T&G union is due to meet the Government to discuss possible compensation
for workers whose income has dropped because of the crisis.
At
Grampian Country Pork in Suffolk, 800 employees are now working three-day
weeks, as are 580 staff at Glanbia Fresh Meats in West Bromwich.
They
will be entitled to receive £16.70 a day in statutory compensation instead of
their £270 per week with £70 bonuses.
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At
Welsh Country Foods in Gaerwen, Anglesey, 350 workers were forced to take a
week’s holiday last week after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth in its factory.
As
Personnel Today went to press, the staff were scheduled to return to work this
week to disinfect the factory, which will open again by the end of March.
