UNION bosses will meet with managers at Grimsby's Bluestar Fibres on Friday to discuss support for up to 175 workers facing redundancy.
It will be the second meeting between Bluestar management and the Unite union since last week's announcement that the company was considering stopping production of its carbon fibre precursor product at the Moody Lane site.
Up to 175 of the plant's 238 employees face losing their jobs – with unions being told that 31 members of staff in the absorbent products side of the business, which is to be retained, will have their employment transferred to a different company, Technical Absorbents. The remainder will preserve the plant facilities should market conditions improve.
Ian Wood, regional officer for Unite, told the Grimsby Telegraph that providing assistance to help workers find alternative employment would be high on the agenda of Friday's meeting.
He said: "We will be suggesting to the company that they contact the JobCentre as soon as possible to set up a job club or task force.
"There are all sorts of things that people need in terms of support.
"I know Unite's education department is going to be contacting the company, and I would also expect the company to be contacting other local businesses in similar industrial sectors to see if there is a shortage of skills.
"Although Bluestar is something of a niche business, someone who drives a forklift truck could do that job in the chemical, oil or food sector."
At last week's initial meeting union members had requested that the 45-day consultation period for employees be extended to 90 days.
However, the company said that as the first round of redundancies was not planned until July 23, the consultation period was effectively 90 days anyway.
Mr Wood said: "It does still give us an opportunity to get our education department in to assist those employees who are going to be affected."
