Redundancy hits home to 248

Press, 30 August 1986, Page 9

Redundancy hits home to 248

The shock of redundancy was pressed home to many former U.E.B. spinning mill workers when they returned to the mill at Bromley yesterday to pick up their redundancy payments. The general manager of the U.E.B. Wool Group, Mr Laurie Powell, was at the factory to supervise the payout, but he did not address the former employees. He said that they were “naturally subdued” and many would have had their end of employment brought home to them. Three members of the Stationary Engine Drivers’ Union who had been picketing the mill agreed after talks with Mr Powell to lift the picket and accept the same redundancy agreement as the rest of the 245 workers. A union, black ban on the mill was also lifted yesterday. Mr Powell said their

stand had been a good one in theory but they had been convinced yesterday that the company had no other option but to close the mill. The mill would now be left as it was after being cleaned. No decision had been made about the plant, land and building, Mr Powell said.