Bosley mill explosion: Owners 'not paying' staff, GMB claims
A union has started formal grievance proceedings against a Cheshire company whose wood mill was destroyed in a fatal explosion last month.
The GMB Union claims Wood Treatment Limited is refusing to pay about 45 staff during the 30-day notice period for their redundancy. Four people are believed to have died in the fire on 17 July which reduced the mill in Bosley to rubble. Wood Treatment Limited said it would support employees "as best we can". A spokesperson declined to comment further on the union's claims. GMB Regional Officer Ray Carrick raised the grievance in a letter to the owners over the "non-payment of wages of staff during the current consultation period regarding potential redundancies". "These staff are still employees of your company," he wrote. "As such, they should be on continuous pay during this period." He added the failure to pay staff during consultation is "a breach of contract and an unlawful deduction of their wages and this will be vigorously challenged and pursued by the GMB." Referring to Wood Treatment Limited, one mill worker said: "It's just wrong... if they were my employees I'd be there, I would be sorting the stuff out. "I wouldn't be hiding behind the scenes and putting lawyers in front to mask what's going on." Workforce 'traumatised' Michael Jones, leader of Cheshire East Council, said the owners of the company has the resources to help its employees. He said: "You've got a workforce traumatised, now is really not the best time to say to someone, 'you're not going to get paid again'. It's a little unnecessary. "I call upon the company to be a little bit more compassionate." The council has set up a drop-in centre in the village providing advice about employment and benefits. Temperatures reached 1,000C in the blast and it was described by rescuers as the "worst incident of its kind" in a decade. Four people unaccounted for after the blast were Derek Moore, 62, from Stoke-on-Trent, William Barks, 51, from Leek, Jason Shingler, 38, from North Rode, and Dorothy Bailey, 62. Will Barks, Derek Moore and Dorothy Bailey have been identified as victims. Other remains have been found. Jason Shingler, 38, is still missing. The Bosley Disaster Appeal Fund has raised more than £53,000 for the families of the victims and workers left without jobs. In a statement last week, Wood Treatment Limited said they "could not predict" when the factory will be operational again. An investigation continues into the cause of the explosion.