Monmouth MP David Davies has accused the Welsh Assembly Government of ‘twiddling its thumbs’ over the decision by Cranberry Foods to axe 400 jobs at its turkey slaughtering and processing plant in Abergavenny.
Mr Davies wrote to the Assembly’s Economic Minister asking him to make an urgent statement following the announcement earlier this month that production will halt at the factory by 18th June. He called in particular for workers who are made redundant to be given the same level of support from the Assembly that was given to steelworkers who lost their jobs in Newport.
Despite receiving a letter from Carwyn Jones AM, Minister for Environment, stating that ‘officials are moving quickly to provide necessary support’, no help has yet been forthcoming.
Mr Davies said: “I have been given vague promises from the Assembly that officials are talking with other officials and it is simply not good enough.
“When thousands of steelworkers in Newport and Ebbw Vale were axed by Corus, multi-million pound aid packages were announced almost immediately and I fail to understand why similar action is not being taken now.
“The Assembly is twiddling its thumbs when worried workers simply don’t know what the future holds for them’.