CRUNCH talks on the future of the former Malton Bacon Factory have resulted in assurances over 1,100 jobs at the plant.
Senior management met with Mayor of Malton Jane Ford and Ryedale Cllr
Howard Keal, last week, and were in the middle of negotiations with Usdaw area organiser Keith Russell as the Mercury went to press yesterday afternoon.
Both visits were sparke
d by the announcement of 200 job cuts at the site as part of a restructuring package by the owner, Vion.
The company announced it was moving the abattoir, butchery and parts of the retail operation to Malton with its cooked meats operations travelling to its site in Suffolk.
The talks with trade union representatives are expected to focus on ways of avoiding the redundancies, including transfers within the site and to other businesses within the company.
Cllrs Ford and Keal's two-hour meeting left them with three key assurances from management:
? Safeguards for the future of the plant and intended large-scale investment;
? maximum effort to find jobs within thefactory for as many workers as possible hit by the redundancies; and
? a commitment to offer retraining to those affected for 100 new posts likely to be created by restructuring.
Cllr Ford described the meeting with managing director Chris Aldersley and human resources head Charles Pascall as "excellent".
"A lot of good came out of the discussions and we were pleased by the work being done to reduce the impact of the redundancies," she said.
Howard Keal, a Norton-based district councillor and the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Malton and
Thirsk, said: "It's grim for people affected. There will be pain as a result of the job losses, which kick in by April, but we have been
assured every avenue is being taken to reduce the damage.
"Up to 100 skilled new jobs are likely to be created and there will be opportunities for at least some redundant staff to retrain to fill them.
"There is also the prospect of large-scale investment in the future to fulfil the intention to build a great future for Malton Bacon Factory.
"So as well as the pain there is the prospect of considerable
gain over the longer term."
The plans to switch butchery operations to Malton would also potentially be a major boost to local producers.
Mr Aldersley, while saddened by the job losses was upbeat about protecting 1,100 jobs on the site.
"What's happening is nothing to do with the recession," he said. "We are looking to grow the business. We are restructuring to create centres
of excellence and Malton has a big and strong future."
