 The laid-off workers make fridges at the Peterborough plant |
Production workers at Hotpoint, already facing a five-day lay-off next week, are facing more cutbacks. The 400 manufacturing staff at its plant in Peterborough, Cambs, may be laid off for another week in May, or work a month of four-day weeks.
The company has said the long-term future of the factory was not in doubt. Production was being halted to help rebalance stock and production levels.
The GMB union said it was seeking legal advice on workers' pay during lay-offs.
A union spokesman said the workers had been guaranteed the government statutory minimum of �18.40 for the first five days of lay-off.
'Temporary move'
Indesit, which owns the Hotpoint plant, said in a statement: "We are in discussions with union representatives with regards to the temporary short -time working practices we are introducing at the end of this month and a proposed lay-off period in May, which has already been communicated to production staff.
"This is a temporary move to rebalance stock levels and production of cooling appliances without having to affect the number of core employees."
There are 1,400 people employed at the plant, which is also the company's UK headquarters.
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