Dundee workers occupy factory

05/03/2009

Employees sacked and told no redundancy money available

Workers at a packaging firm in Dundee have occupied their factory after they were all sacked on the spot and told there was no money to pay their redundancy.

Speaking to the Big Issue Scotland from inside the Prisme Packaging plant, employee Matthew Duffield said staff were refusing to leave after they were given redundancy letters on Wednesday afternoon and told the gates would be shut for the final time at the end of the day. 

Workers had turned up for work as normal on Monday morning, but when the manager arrived he informed staff he was resigning and they should phone the company secretary for further information.

It wasn't until Wednesday afternoon that a company representative turned up with letters explaining the company was no longer viable, staff were entitled to redundancy cash, but "unfortunately we do not have any money to make these payments to you."

"We're very frustrated and we want what we are entitled to by law," said Duffield, 25. "It's also important to highlight what's happening to people in small businesses across the country, and what could be happening more and more."

Duffield is one of 12 employees still in the factory, supplied with food and drink by friends, families and local union supporters. Some members of staff have been at the packaging firm for 14 years.

"We feel that if we leave, we'll never see any of the money ever again," said Duffield.

No one from Prisme Packaging was available for comment.