The bakers union has reacted with fury at moves by Morrisons to close its Rathbones bread-making factory in Yorkshire.
As revealed by The Grocer this morning, Morrisons decided after “a thorough review” of options that closing the loss-making site in Wakefield was the best outcome, with 378 workers facing redundancy as a result.
The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) said the decision was “beyond disappointing” and added even more jobs in the supply chain, as well as agency workers, would be impacted.
BFAWU also said suggestions by Morrisons of potentially keeping the morning goods part of the factory, which produces muffins, crumpets and pancakes, open smacked of fire and rehire, where anyone staying on at Rathbones could be expected to work for worse pay and terms & conditions.
“We will not accept a de facto fire and rehire approach by these private equity asset strippers,” said BFAWU general secretary Sarah Woolley.
She added: “Since Morrisons were bought out by Clayton Dubilier & Rice in 2021, we have seen the traditional cycle of private equity firm behaviour post-takeover that throws workers on the scrapheap without even a glance back.
“They have asset-stripped Morrisons, with our members now bearing the brunt of their mismanagement with this short-sighted decision to close the site.
“This treatment of people is plain wrong and unfair on the hundreds of people who work at the site and who have had their lives turned upside down by this decision.”
Morrisons acquired Rathbones in 2005 after the bakery collapsed into administration. The site is part of the supermarket’s Myton Food Group manufacturing operation, which runs 18 food factories to supply its stores with a wide range of products.
A Morrisons spokesman said earlier today: “We are considering all alternative options and want to work with our partner union BFAWU, together with employee representatives, on how we could change our current business model and safeguard as many jobs as possible.”
BFAWU said it would now be making the case to government to address the “callous and quite frankly cruel behaviour” of CD&R.
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