Pascual milk starts a collective dismissal to lay off the 80 workers from its Gurb plant
The union blames the company for refusing to negotiate before the factory passes into the hands of Casa Tarradellas from August.
BarcelonaThe Leche Pascual group has initiated this Friday a regulation of employment (ERO) to lay off the 80 workers from its Gurb (Osona) plant, partially dismantled for months after the company reached an agreement with Casa Tarradellas for the sale of the factory.
The presentation of the ERO comes just over 30 days in advance of the planned date for the definitive closure of the facilities, which from July 31 will pass into the hands of Casa Tarradellas. The new owner intends to change the factory's activity and replace milk packaging with mozzarella production.
In a statement issued by Col·lectiu Ronda – the cooperative of lawyers representing the workers in this process – it is considered that Leche Pascual's decision "is not justified" by the "good results" of production and profitability of the plant. At the same time, the lawyers reproach the company for having postponed "any negotiation" until a few weeks before the closure and, at the same time, "having fueled without any concrete action the expectations of possible hiring by Casa Tarradellas".
As detailed to ARA by Col·lectiu Ronda itself, the new owner of the plant has not yet negotiated anything firm with the Gurb workforce. And while Casa Tarradellas has expressed its willingness on occasion to reincorporate some of the Leche Pasqual workers, the guarantees are non-existent. "The employees know nothing," they admit.
With the presentation of the ERO this Friday, staff and company now begin a 30-day consultation period to agree on the conditions for collective dismissal, or the formula for maintaining jobs under the umbrella of Casa Tarradellas. The first meeting is scheduled for this Friday, although Col·lectiu Ronda points out that the workers already intend to gather in front of the Gurb facilities to express their discontent with the dairy group.
Effects on Llet Nostra
The sale of the Gurb plant announced last April has also had collateral effects, which in this case have affected Llet Nostra. The Catalan brand used the Osona facilities to package its product, but with the purchase by Casa Tarradellas and its dismantling, it had to move the work to Aranda de Duero (Burgos), where Pascual has other plants.
Llet Nostra's intention is to package milk in Catalonia again. At the same time, the brand emphasizes that the changes only temporarily affect the industrial part of the process and not the origin of the product, which will continue to come from the Catalan farmers who are part of the project.