Workers at the doomed Freescale Semiconductor plant in East Kilbride are attempting to challenge the legality of the company�s slashed redundancy terms amid allegations of bullying by management, The Herald has learned.

Workers at the doomed Freescale Semiconductor plant in East Kilbride are attempting to challenge the legality of the company's slashed redundancy terms amid allegations of bullying by management, The Herald has learned.

Andy Kerr, MSP for East Kilbride, has confirmed that workers are now mulling the possibility of raising a legal action against the US electronics giant.

He also said he had been "made aware of claims" that some workers had been threatened with a further-reduced redundancy package if they pursued a legal challenge against the company.

Kerr told The Herald: "The mood within the plant has changed significantly.

"It has become clear the management are putting pressure on the workforce. There has been a blatant attitude change. Conditions have hardened. There is less flexibility than there once was.

"There appears to be an unwritten but accepted threat that if the workforce decide to go legal - and that is something which is certainly being considered - then there could be serious consequences regarding redundancy terms."

Nonetheless, Freescale confirmed to The Herald that some of its employees have already sought legal advice, but it refuted claims that it had ever attempted to block such moves.

The microchip giant was acquired by a consortium of venture capitalists for $17.6bn (£9.5bn) in 2006, led by US corporate buy-out giant Blackstone, which in the second half of last year closed its Fund V at $21.7bn, making it the largest buy-out fund to date.

It was this fund that Blackstone used to acquire Freescale, which had been spun off from Motorola in 2004. Blackstone also owns Hilton Hotels in the US and Center Parcs, both of which it purchased from the same fund.

Nonetheless, at the other end of these mega deals is the livelihoods of 750 manufacturing employees in East Kilbride. The impending closure of the manufacturing operation, which is being conducted under a hitherto secret project called "Claymore", was revealed by The Herald last year. It also puts up to 100 support posts at risk.

Earlier this year, The Herald also revealed that the Texas-based electronics company had slashed the redundancy entitlement of its workers at East Kilbride by about 30% - only months before its plans to axe the plant emerged.

Kerr added: "The legality of Freescale's 30% cut is a matter that may ultimately be decided in a tribunal."

The crux of the workers' prospective legal challenge is the notion that Freescale had no legal right to alter the severance terms, which many believe were cemented when Freescale was spun out from the Motorola facility in 2004. The changes to the terms occurred in the wake of Blackstone's 2006 buyout.

However, it is understood that Freescale intends to stand firm on its changes to the severance package, which has already been rolled out in the US and Malaysia.

A Freescale spokeswoman said: "Freescale's lawyers have responded directly to the lawyer engaged by some of our employees"

Moreover, she added: "We have no evidence of managers trying to dissuade employees from exploring their legal options. If such evidence is provided we will investigate and take appropriate action.

"Employees are wholly within their rights to seek legal advice, indeed the company confirmed this in writing to employees and allowed a committee of employee representatives additional paid time off to meet with their legal representative.

"Freescale's enhanced severance terms have been addressed during the consultation process and confirmed to employees in writing.

The company spokes woman added: "It has also been communicated in writing to employees that their seeking legal advice would in no way affect the enhanced redundancy payments."