Jobs fair for axed Hall's staff

Senior News Reporter

Wednesday 17 October 2012

AROUND 20 firms are being parachuted in to help the 1700 Hall's of Broxburn workers laid off in one of the Scotland's largest mass redundancies.

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BRIAN DONNELLY

Firms ranging from butchers to office employers are to attend a jobs exhibition in the West Lothian town next month in the first major move by the Scottish Government taskforce since Dutch parent company Vion confirmed the plant's closure.

Some of the offers are expected from south of the Border, while colleges could also take part.One of the taskforce organisers, Donald Lumsden, of Skills Development Scotland, said the details are to be confirmed but added: "We are spreading the net as far as possible. This involves working closely with Vion human resources and the Department for Work and Pensions to identify suitable employers."Some of the opportunities may be offered by colleges, who offer a range of courses."My advice to the workers just now would be to visit the [advice] centres on site and in Strathbrock Community Centre. Both are open five days a week."The jobs move is designed to help mitigate the human cost of the closure, which was made clear in the case of worker Esther Stewart, who has five other family members working at Hall's, totalling 75 years of service. She said: "We knew it was closing. It was like waiting for someone to die, but it was still a shock."The jobs exhibition is expected to take place next month as the first round of redundancies take place, with 200 layoffs expected. The entire plant will close by February next year.Usdaw union representatives also raised concerns after it emerged workers found out their fate via the press. A Vion spokesman said it made every effort to inform staff as soon as possible.The Herald can also reveal much of the work done at the Broxburn abattoir could now be moved to Brechin, the site owned by Paisley-based AP Jess.Hall's was responsible for 75% of weekly pig slaughter in Scotland and a move to the Angus site could help save farming jobs and potentially create up to 15 new positions at the plant.National Farmers' Union Scotland president Nigel Miller said: "The immediate issue for Scottish pig producers is that inevitably some pigs will have to travel to another Vion plant in Molton, Yorkshire, for slaughter. The financial impact of this comes on top of an already difficult year with market returns lagging behind booming input costs."Broxburn's MP Graeme Morrice met with Scotland Office Minister David Mundell to discuss UK Government backing for workers and raised concerns over the continuing row between a bidder and Vion.Steve Green, of Graf Mortgage Corporation, called on a further meeting to "establish whether our bid is viable, or whether the business is simply not for sale".Vion responded: "We had endeavoured to obtain further detail from Mr Green and allow us to assess its viability. The necessary information had not been forthcoming and, as a result, we were forced to assume Graf Mortgage Corporation could not be viewed as a credible bidder."Meanwhile, in the Borders, 176 knitwear jobs will be saved after Chanel bought the business and assets of Barrie Knitwear, the cashmere manufacturer. The deal was hailed as a "good end to a difficult period" for staff at the Hawick plant by their main union, GMB Scotland.

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Jobs fair for axed Hall's staff

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