Group Meets In Bid To Save Young's Seafood Jobs

A new group is meeting today to discuss ways of protecting threatened jobs at a seafood company.

Union officials last month warned that more than 300 jobs were at risk after Young's Seafood lost a contract with supermarket giant Sainsbury's, with its factories in Grimsby in North East Lincolnshire and Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, expected to be hit.

Scottish Government Business Minister Fergus Ewing and Food Secretary Richard Lochhead are today chairing a new group to look at ways of protecting at-risk jobs in Young's Seafood sites at Fraserburgh and Spey Valley.

The Joint Stakeholder Group comprises Young's Seafood, Scottish Enterprise, Aberdeenshire Council, Highland Council, trade unions, Skills Development Scotland and the local MSP and MP.

Mr Ewing said: This is an extremely anxious time for Young's workers, their families and for the communities around the two sites. Working with Young's, this new group will do all it can ensure the continued productive use of the sites and secure as many jobs as possible.''

The group will oversee the work already under way to keep jobs at the two sites.

Mr Lochhead said: Young's is an essential part of the Scottish food and drink industry, with workers who are skilled and dedicated. We will work directly with the company and key partners including Scottish Enterprise, Aberdeenshire Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, to help in any way that we can.

Scottish seafood is a success and it's important that where remaining Young's contracts involve seafood from this country, the company is encouraged to process those contracts in Scotland.''