UP to 225 jobs are to go as diary giant Muller confirmed plans to close milk plants in Aberdeen and East Kilbride.
The announcement was described as a "devastating blow" to staff by the Usdaw union.
Muller has said the Aberdeen plant will shut "as soon as reasonably practical" while the South Lanarkshire operation will stay open for up to 24 months before production moves to Bellshill, North Lanarkshire.
Daniel Adams, Usdaw national officer said: “After extensive local consultation with the business in an attempt to secure jobs, today’s news is a devastating blow for the loyal and hardworking staff in Aberdeen and East Kilbride.
"Usdaw remains concerned at the potentially premature nature of the decision regarding the East Kilbride site given that the company do not anticipate it closing for up to another 24 months.
"Usdaw has secured a commitment from the business that a formal dialogue will continue at East Kilbride during this time as we believe there remain a number of issues where further discussion is required.
“Usdaw will continue to support our members at both sites and to press the company to maximise redeployment opportunities to minimise job losses and provide support for those members who are unable to find alternative positions within the business.”
Muller is investing £15m over three years at Bellshill as part of a drive to expand its range of products. The plans include a new cream filling hall, high-speed production lines and investment in site infrastructure.
Andrew McInnes, managing director of Muller Milk & Ingredients, said: “We recognise that this change will affect our colleagues at both sites and farmers in the North East but this announcement is a key step towards building a sustainable, diverse and future focused dairy business in Scotland and the UK.
“Unfortunately the status quo was not sustainable within our Scottish dairy network, with both Aberdeen and East Kilbride dairies operating well-below capacity. By investing in Bellshill we will be better able to optimise the value in the milk we buy from dairy farmers.
“Wherever possible we will offer employees the opportunity to relocate within our network. We will support those who do not wish to do so or for whom there are no roles within our business and we have asked local agencies to work with us in this regard.”
Farmers in the North East have been offered the opportunity to continue supplying milk to Muller if they pay charges of 1.75 pence per litre to cover the cost of transportation.
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