The situation at printers Litográfica do Sul in Vila Real de Santo António has worsened with workes told not to come in next week until at least Thursday when they will be told if they have jobs or not.
The workforce has not been paid for March and the union representative has urged staff to turn up on Monday in case management start to shift machinery from the premises.
At least the management has been frank about the chances of the company’s 40 staff getting paid and have said they are trying to conclude a deal with a buyer, whose identity has not been revealed, to save the business.
Union leader António Hilário said that so far management had not involved the union representative in discussions or solutions which have included filing for a Special Process of Revitalisation, the advice for which was stuck on the office door.
A management/union meeting is scheduled for this weekend, or a latest on Monday.
One of the workers said that the management confirmed that "there were no conditions to pay salaries at the end of March and if the negotiations that are underway with an investor failed, the company would close and workers would be collectively made redundant."
Many workers have decided to carry on turning up for work to meet outstanding orders as they have done in the past months despite little or no pay.
Hilário advised workers to keep working to "ensure that machinery is not withdrawal from the company."
There has been a 100 strong protest which included workers, union leaders and representatives of the PCP and BE all of whom requested the intervention of the Government and the local council to preserve jobs despite this not being a problem for the local council or the government as Litográfica do Sul is privately owned.
See also:
http://www.algarvedailynews.com/news/4894-vrsa-council-intervenes-to-halt-local-company-failure
