Bombshell for workers

Shop-floor workers at a Stafford factory claim they are being asked to take four days unpaid holiday.

The wife of one employee, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the bombshell was dropped at a meeting at Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Doxey, on Thursday.

Saint-Gobain spokeswoman Lisa Benbow said today: "We can confirm that a small number of employees in our warehouse operations will be affected by short time working arrangements which come into effect in March.

"We regret having to take these measures and we are making every effort to try and minimise the impact on the affected employees. We will review the situation in April."

But the worker's wife said: "They are miffed and angry. When they were told they had to take four days holiday they thought it would be paid, but then it emerged it was unpaid.

"They are not at all happy, especially as some 250 managers, customer services staff and supervisors are not affected."

She claimed some 90 shopfloor worker were affected and added: "It is very sad things have been done this way."

Spokeswoman Miss Benbow, however, said the firm has for some time faced very challenging market conditions, including declining demand and profitability, linked to the global economic crisis.

"Additionally, the business has been affected by the strengthening of the Euro against the pound over the past year which has led to a significant increase in import costs," she said.

"Action has been taken to address this situation and improve the business's competitiveness but, following a review of the market conditions, it has been concluded that it is necessary to take further steps.

The former Unicorn International, which produces bonded abrasives for use in all manufacturing sectors, was bought by the French manufacturing and building materials group in 1998.

Three years later they officially opened a new £6 million factory on the site.