General trade union GMB Scotland is calling on the owner of the Coatbridge-based speaker firm Tannoy to “come clean over Christmas” about the future of its manufacturing base in Scotland.
In September, parent company Music Group chief executive Uli Behringer talked about its plans to relocate to a new manufacturing site in Scotland, which would ensure continued employment within the local community.
However, GMB has claimed that Tannoy’s workforce is now being urged to sign individual redundancy settlements by Friday January 13. While its plant management has been placed on ‘gardening leave’ and had their email access blocked.
The Coatbridge site is scheduled to close on March 31.
GMB Scotland organiser Ude Adigwe said: “Uli Behringer has been leading his workers and the media up the garden path over his real intentions for Tannoy’s Scottish operations.
“The self-styled ‘chief disrupter’ is stonewalling his employees and instead of addressing their concerns, demoralised workers now have to forward questions concerning their futures to an HQ call centre in Manila.
“With local management having been effectively routed by Behringer, it looks like the Coatbridge plant is simply being run-down ahead of March with no real prospect of a new site.
“The least he can do for this highly skilled and loyal workforce is to come clean for Christmas.”
