Kerry Foods has announced it intends to close its food processing factory in Durham putting over 350 jobs at risk.
The company is proposing to transfer all production from Durham to other Kerry Foods sites in order to reduce costs. The company has other sites in both the UK and Republic of Ireland.
The factory, which is Durham’s third largest private sector employer, has been in operation for many years and primarily processes sliced meats for a range of major and own label brands.
Joanne Thomas, Usdaw’s North East Divisional Officer said: “This is absolutely disastrous news for everyone who works at Kerry Foods, for their families and for the whole community. There has been no prior warning that closure was being considered, or even a suggestion that the future of the site could be in doubt, so our members are understandably extremely shocked, angry and distressed.”
The union Usdaw has been in contact with local MP Roberta Blackman-Woods and Stephen Hughes MEP who it says has pledged to do all they can to help fight the closure and save jobs.
