U.K.: Yorkshire Fresh Fruits under fire over redundancy package - FreshFruitPortal.com

U.K.: Yorkshire Fresh Fruits under fire over redundancy package

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U.K.: Yorkshire Fresh Fruits under fire over redundancy package

Britain's largest union Unite has slammed a company that supplies fresh fruit to supermarkets, labeling the redundancy package to be given to workers when its factory closes in June as 'insulting'.

Parent company Bakkavor's logo

Parent company Bakkavor's logo

Yorkshire Fresh Fruits (YFF) has announced it will be shutting down operations in Selby, England, after Asda pulled out of a vital contract, awarding it to a competitor.

Unite has blasted the company for its offer of adding £50 (US$75.00) to statutory redundancy packages for hourly paid workers who will be made redundant when the site closes down. Around 445 employees work at the site.

"What we are seeing here is a mean-spirited 'them and us' approach when it comes to redundancy packages," Unite regional officer Sarah Mitchell says in a release.

"If you are an hourly paid employee you will receive the statutory redundancy pay, plus £50, a so-called 'goodwill' payment; while if you are a salaried member of staff with 10 years’ service, you will get about £3,000-£3,500 (US$4,516-US$5,274) on top of the statutory minimum. This is blatantly unfair and discriminatory.

"We think this two-tier response is disgraceful and by making this public, we hope to shame Yorkshire Fresh Fruits into being more generous and bring up the pay-outs to that of the salaried staff. Its parent company, the Bakkavor Group is very profitable and can well afford to be much more generous."

Mitchell adds that an industrial action ballot is 'on the cards', if there is not a substantial improvement on the offer.

"The closure is a bitter blow for the workers, their families and the local economy. The management is looking for a buyer for the company and we have managed to save about 40 jobs so far.

"Unite is working with the careers service and all interested parties to find our members, who make up the majority of the workforce, alternative employment."

When www.freshfruitportal.com approached YFF for comment, we were sent a statement.

"YFF continues to make significant efforts to assist staff in finding alternative employment in the local area and relocate staff wherever possible elsewhere within the Bakkavor Group,” it says.

"However, regrettably, we anticipate that up to 419 staff will be made redundant, subject to any further potential interest in roles available within the Group. The announcement follows confirmation in January 2015 of the loss of a major customer for YFF and management has concluded that consequently the business will not be viable going forward.

"YFF would like to thank all staff for their commitment and professionalism during this difficult time."

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