Job losses feared as two firms facing uncertain future

A union chief hit out at supermarket giants amid fears 140 jobs could be axed with the closure of York’s Del Monte factory.

Sam Vickers, the regional organiser of the Bakers Food and Allied Workers’ Union, claims the factory, on Shipton Road, has lost a major contract with Morrisons.

He wants more scrutiny of supermarket chains which he says have got “too much power” and are destroying smaller businesses.

“I get really mad with these supermarkets, particularly when a Yorkshire company is putting another Yorkshire company out of business. The only people making profits out of food are supermarkets. It’s a disgrace,” he said.

Mr Vickers said he would meet managers next week but workers expected to lose their jobs unless a new contract was secured.

A Morrisons spokesperson said the supermarket had made the “difficult decision” to award the contract to another supplier.

Meanwhile an MP condemned up to 150 job losses at a call centre in Hull.

Carillion Energy Services says its Warmsure offices on National Avenue, which provides heating services, will close by the summer. In November the company announced that it was restructuring, blaming cuts to Government subsidies for solar panels.

Hull North MP Diana Johnson said: “Employees in Hull have been treated disgracefully.” Carillion said it was consulting staff and had not made any decision regarding jobs.