Unite the union has cautiously welcomed the announcement today (Thursday 18 June) by the 2 Sisters Food Group that it is to temporarily close its chicken processing plant at Llangefni for a period of 14 days. This will allow all their employees at the site to self-isolate in an attempt to restrict the spread of Covid-19 amongst its Anglesey workforce and the wider community. The union has consistently been raising concerns around health and safety on site and the need for rigorous and robust procedures to combat spread of the virus.

Paddy McNaught, regional officer for Unite Wales, said: “Unite welcomes the company’s announcement regarding the closure, it is a common sense approach to a very difficult situation. We also welcome the commitment shown by the company to work with the relevant agencies to restrict the impact this outbreak on its workforce and wider community.

“Unite has also warned the company that it can’t ignore the financial impact such a decision will have on this group of low paid workers, who have strived to maintain the supply of chicken into the UK food chain throughout this pandemic. We are calling upon 2 Sisters to enter into urgent discussions with us around protecting its workforce’s income at this time of crisis.”

Bev Clarkson, Unite national officer for Food, Drink and Agriculture, said: “The relaxation of social distancing has been brought in too soon, we predicted a spike in the meat industry. You only have to look at what has happened in America and Germany to know that it would happen here. Measures need to be taken now by the government to stop further spikes within the sector.”