By Alan Richardson

EFFORTS CONTINUED yesterday to minimise the effect of a potentially crushing jobs blow in Coupar Angus.

The town’s largest employer, Grampian Country Foods, has announced almost 100 jobs could be axed due to the loss of a department of its factory on the outskirts.

The portioning section, which is earmarked for closure amid massive pressures for the sector, employs 95 people. Consultation is under way between management and union representatives to try and keep redundancies to a minimum.

Local councillor Dennis Melloy said the news was “a kick in the teeth” for the town, which is currently trying to transform its image in a massive regeneration programme.

“The news of Grampian Country Foods closing their portioning department at their Coupar Angus factory with the loss of nearly 100 jobs is a devastating blow for the families involved,” he said.

“They are the main employer in the town and to lose a sixth of the workforce will have major implications for the local economy.

“Coupar Angus is undergoing a major regeneration in the centre of town and everybody has been very optimistic for the future. This will come as a major kick in the teeth.

“I understand consultations with the unions and those directly involved will take place very shortly. I can only hope that alternative employment can be found very quickly.”

A spokesman for the Transport and General Workers Union, of which the majority of staff are members, said strenuous efforts were under way to soften the impending blow.

He said, “We have had statutory notice of up to 95 redundancies which will take place on April 18.

“What we’re now doing is scheduling a number of meetings with the company and employees to work through this. The company do have a redundancy policy in place and we will be working within the terms of that policy to minimise compulsory job losses.”

He added, “There has been a recruitment freeze at the factory and we’re looking to ensure numbers are reduced through natural wastage and employment measures like reducing or ending overtime.

“It’s going to have an effect throughout Angus and Tayside, where many of the employees are from, not just Coupar Angus.”

The firm, which employs 614 people in Coupar Angus, has said staff could be re-deployed or given help to find jobs with other companies.

A Grampian Country Foods spokesman said the move meant the factory will be returning to its core practice of producing whole birds.

He said, “We are looking at making the site more efficient and focusing on whole bird production.

“The site has traditionally produced whole birds with limited portioning so we are looking to increase the production of whole birds.”

However, he would not be drawn on whether this meant a significant number of the affected jobs would be re-deployed around the factory.

“That is why we are going into consultation and making every endeavour to minimise job losses,” he said. “That consultation process has now started.”

He said no time frame had been set in which to complete the exercise.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the company admitted a “number of redundancies” could result, blaming higher feed, fuel and utility costs in a “very competitive environment.”

It also stressed the decision will have no effect on the agricultural supply base in Scotland.